Method and machine for the production of hollow glassware articles

ABSTRACT

A method and a machine for the production of hollow glassware articles, by the blow-and-blow, press-and-blow, press-and-blow paste mold and direct-press processes in a glassware forming machine including single or multiple machine sections each having single or multiple-cavity, comprising: forming a parison in an inverted orientation, into a blank mold and a first transferable and open-able neck ring mold held by an inverting apparatus having a first and a second diametrically opposed arms, each arm holding a transferable and openable neck ring mold; inverting the parison held by the first transferable and openable neck ring mold, by rotating the first arm 180° to an upright orientation at an intermediate station, while the second arm with a second transferable and openable neck ring mold is simultaneously placed at the parison forming station; is transferring the first transferable and open-able neck ring mold holding the parison in an upright orientation, from the intermediate station, to a blow mold station, by a transference apparatus; releasing the first parison into a blow mold, and turning back the first transferable and open-able neck ring mold empty to the first arm of the inverting apparatus, at the intermediate station to be placed again at the parison forming station by rotating the first arm additional 180°, completing a 360° turn, while the second arm reaches to the intermediate station; blowing the parison into a blow mold to form a finished article; and transferring the finished article in an upright orientation, once the blow mold is opened, by a take out apparatus, to place it at a dead plate or at a carrying conveyor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A. Field of the Invention

This invention is related to a method an a machine for the production ofglassware articles and more specifically to a method and a machine, asan individual forming section including single or multiple cavities,which can be grouped to constitute a glassware forming machine of thetype including multiple individual forming sections, normally includingfrom six to eight individual forming sections, for the production ofglass bottles, jars, tumblers and other glassware articles by theblow-and-blow, press-and-blow, press-and-blow paste mold or direct-pressprocesses.

B. Description of the Related Art

Glassware articles such as narrow neck glass bottles are normallyproduced in glassware forming machines of the type which may includemultiple similar forming sections, by the blow-and-blow process, whilewide neck glass jars, tumblers and other glassware articles are producedin the so named “E” and “F” Series forming machines by thepress-and-blow process, in both, the so named hot molds and paste mold.

Glass bottles known as narrow neck glass containers, can also beproduced by the well-known press-and-blow process, in the abovementioned E and F machines.

Nowadays the production velocity or forming cycles of the machinesincluding multiple-sections and E and F machines, have reached to anoptimum status and the maximum number of glassware articles has beenachieved by providing multiple cavities (usually two to four) in eachindividual forming section of the machine.

Looking for an increasing in the number of glassware articles performing cycle on each section of the machine, attempts have been made tointroduce additional forming stations in each section, for example anadditional article forming apparatus (blow mold, blow head) which couldcarry out a forming task (receiving a just formed parison from a singleparison forming apparatus and beginning the forming blown), whileanother similar equipment is carrying out a following forming task onthe forming cycle (opening the blow mold for transferring a just formedarticle to a cooling dead plate and being prepared to receive anotherfollowing parison from the parison forming apparatus).

Representative of such forming machines, are the so named “one-twostation machines”, disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,094,656; 4,137,061 and4,162,911 of Mallory, including a single stationary parison formingstation and two article finishing stations, one finishing station ateach side of the parison forming station in the same line known as the“cold-side” of the machine, eliminating the so named hot-side, and inU.S. Pat. Nos. 4,244,756 and 4,293,327 of Northup, disclosing a singleparison forming station placed in the hot-side of the machine, and twoarticle finishing stations, mounted one above the other on a lifting andlowering mechanism, alternatively rising and lowering each formingstation for forming the articles.

However, by increasing the number of forming stations, the number offorming molds and surrounding equipment (either for single or multiplecavities) are consequently increased, increasing in turn the operationcost of the machine.

Other attempts to increase the velocity of production and the quality ofthe glassware articles in the multiple-section machines and E and Fmachines, has been focused on providing three consecutive formingstations, comprising a first parison forming station, an intermediatestation for re-heating and/or stretching of the parison, and a thirdstation for finishing the glassware article.

Representative of these “three station” forming machines are the U.S.Pat. Nos. 3,914,120; 4,009,016; 4,010,021 of Foster; U.S. Pat. No.4,255,177 of Fenton; U.S. Pat. No. 4,255,178 of Braithwite; U.S. Pat.No. 4,255,179 of Foster; U.S. Pat. No. 4,276,076 of Fenton; U.S. Pat.No. 4,325,725 of Fujimoto and U.S. Pat. No. 4,507,136 of Northup.

The differences between each of these three step forming processesdisclosed by the above U.S. patents, can be firstly determined by theparison forming orientation in an upright orientation, as disclosed inU.S. Pat. Nos. 3,914,120; 4,009,016; 4,010,021, all of them of Foster,and 4,255,178 of Braithwait, and in an inverted orientation, asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,555,177 of Fenton, U.S. Pat. No. 4,255,179of Foster, U.S. Pat. No. 4,325,725 of Fujimoto, and U.S. Pat. No.4,507,136 of Northrup.

Further differences between the above disclosed three step formingprocesses, are determined by the apparatuses to transfer the parison andfinished article through the parison forming step, the intermediate stepand the finishing and take out steps.

For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,914,120; 4,009,016; 4,010,021, and4,255,178 disclose a linear transference of the parison in an uprightposition from the parison forming station, to the intermediate station,then a linearly transference of the parison from the intermediatestation to a blow molding station, and finally, a linearly transferenceof the finished article, to a cooling dead plate.

Unlikely to the above disclosed glassware forming machines andapparatuses, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,555,177; 4,255,179; 4,325,725, and4,507,136, disclose a first transference step including inverting of theparison from an inverted position at the parison forming station, to anupright position at the intermediate station; a second lineartransference step from the intermediate station to a final forming(blowing) station; and a third linear transference step from the finalforming station to the cooling dead plate. The second and third lineartransference steps being carried out by a generally similar transferenceapparatus.

Other differences between the apparatuses disclosed in theabove-referred patents can be found in connection with the very specificapparatuses to carry out the transference of the parison and the finalglassware article.

The main objective sought by the introduction of the intermediatestation in these glassware forming machines, has been to release thetask of a previous mechanism to be in an conditions to repeat a newforming cycle, without having to wait that a following mechanismperforms its respective task, to turn back at its original position tobegin a new forming cycle.

However, the above objectives have been difficult to be achieved becauseof the configuration of the mechanisms constituting the machine, whichhave been the same as the conventional and well-known ones.

Applicants, looking for a win-to-win machine, i.e. seeking to obtain theobjectives of increasing the velocity of the machine and a reduction ofthe forming cycle time, the efficiency of its performance and anincreasing in the quality of the articles to be produced, as well asseeking to make standard some mechanisms which perform similar tasks,and equipping them only with their specific instruments to perform theirspecific function, reducing as much as possible the cost of equipping amachine, the number of mechanisms in storage, and simplicity of mountingthe specific instruments on common mechanisms and apparatuses,applicants reached to the following concept of a new glassware formingmachine comprising a combination of some new apparatuses, and a newmethod for the production of hollow glassware articles.

In the first place, applicants visualized that an intermediate stationis conveniently necessary so that the re-heating of the glass surface ofa just formed parison be continued outside the blank mold in order toimmediately release the task of the blank mold, enabling it to carry outanother forming cycle, and permitting to carry out a stretching of theparison, all of which also results in an increase in the velocity ofproduction and in a better quality of the article.

Additionally, applicants recognized that the inverting arm including aneck ring mold, of a typical inverting mechanism, had to be in astanding position during a parison forming cycle and to wait for theopening of the blank mold, to initiate the inverting cycle, release theparison at the intermediate station and turn back at the parison formingposition, to begin another forming cycle.

To overcome the former disadvantage, applicants introduced a newinventive concept for the inverting apparatus, consisting in providingtwo diametrically opposed and stepped inverting arms, each holding atransferable and open-able neck ring mold (either single ormultiple-cavity), so that a first one of said arms, after a parison hasbeen formed at a first parison forming cycle, can firstly rotate 180°clockwise (moving the parison upwardly constricting it) orcounterclockwise (moving the parison downwardly stretching it) torelease the parison held by a first transferable and open-able neck ringmold, at the intermediate station, while the second arm with a secondtransferable and openable neck ring mold is simultaneously placed underthe blank mold to perform a second parison forming cycle, and then thefirst arm with an empty transferable and open-able neck ring mold whichhas been turned back to said first arm, rotates additional 180°completing a 360° turn, to be placed under the blank mold for a thirdparison forming cycle, while the second arm is releasing the parisonheld by the corresponding transferable and open-able neck ring mold, atthe intermediate station. In this way, the blank mold do not have towait that the first arm release the parison at the intermediate stationand turn back, to initiate a new parison forming cycle.

New first and second transferable and open-able neck ring molds (eithersingle or multiple-cavity) are provided to be held and handled withabsolute independence by each of the arms of the inverting apparatus, bythe longitudinal transference apparatus and by the take out apparatus,have also been provided in order to improve the quality of the finalproduct by handling the parison by the neck ring at a uniformtemperature, thus avoiding that the formed parison had to be handled byother components at different temperatures which may cause checks,efforts or deformations in the parison, which result in a poor qualityof the finished articles.

The independence and transference ability of these transferable andopen-able neck ring molds of the present invention, is possible in themachine of the present invention because of the existence of theunidirectional indexing-rotary inverting apparatus including the firstand second stepped and diametrically opposed arms, which are able tohold a transferable and open-able neck ring mold, so that, while a firsttransferable and open-able neck ring mold is transferred from the firstarm at the intermediate station to the blown molding station for forminga finished article, the second arm with a second transferable andopen-able neck ring mold is placed at the parison forming station, in aparison forming cycle and once the parison is formed and able to beinverted at the intermediate station, the first arm has received backthe first transferable and open-able neck ring mold and rotated other180° completing a 3600 turn, to be placed again at the parison formingstation.

Also, although a typical baffle apparatus could be included in themachine, mainly for the blow-and-blow forming process, this apparatuscan be configured in accordance with the machine of the presentinvention, by including a new oscillating apparatus named “rotolinearapparatus”, which may also be useful for operating a glass gob guidechannel, the blank mold apparatus, the final blow apparatus and anyother apparatus, for firstly rotate, then place an actuating mechanismto their respective active positions, and then retire them to an initialinactive position, which includes a new configuration of cams and camfollowers to impart reliable oscillation and lowering and liftingmovements, overcoming any backlash which could cause misalignment of thebaffle apparatus or any other apparatuses, with the followingapparatuses of the forming sequence.

A new equalizing apparatus has also been provided at the baffleapparatus and at the final blow apparatus, for multiple-cavity, formounting bottom blank mold heads and uniformly place them on the blankmolds or the blow molds, effectively adjusting whatever misarrange whichmay exist both, in the baffle or blow heads, or in the blank mold orblow molds.

In this way, this new glassware forming machine overcomes a number ofdifficulties of the known glassware forming machines, affording a win inthe forming cycle time, which is estimated at a 32.6%, and allows anincrease in the production and an improvement in the quality of thehollow glassware articles, as will be specifically disclosed in thefollowing detailed description of the invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a main object of the present invention, to provide a newmachine for the production of hollow glassware articles, which allows areduction in the forming cycle time of the machine, and an improvementin the quality of the glassware articles produced.

It is another main object of present invention, to provide a new machinefor the production of hollow glassware articles, of the above disclosednature, which can be easily equipped to operate as a blow-and-blowforming process or a press-and-blow forming process, in its embodimentsof two-halve blank molds, solid blank mold, and pasted mold forproducing seamless glassware articles.

It is an additional main object of present invention, to provide a newmachine for the production of hollow glassware articles, of the abovedisclosed nature, which includes an intermediate station which, incombination with a new indexed rotary inverting apparatus rotating 180°clockwise or counterclockwise, and new forming and handling apparatuses,allows to increase the velocity of the machine (i.e. a reduction in theforming cycle time) and the improvement on the quality of the producedglassware articles.

It is a further main object of present invention, to provide a newmachine for the production of hollow glassware articles, of the abovedisclosed nature, which includes new apparatuses and mechanisms whichare standard for other apparatuses of the forming machine, performingsimilar tasks, which are just specifically equipped to perform theirspecific tasks.

It is still a further main object of present invention, to provide a newmachine for the production of hollow glassware articles, of the abovedisclosed nature, in which the transferable and open-able neck ringmolds, parison molds and blow molds, are mounted to be placed at a sonamed blank mold “zero-line” in the machine, which is a unique positionstandard for any size of parisons and glassware articles to be produced.

A summary of the advantages of the machine for the production of hollowglassware articles, in accordance with the present invention, are asfollows.

-   -   It is suitable for the production of hollow glassware articles,        such as bottles, jars, tumblers and other glassware articles, by        the blow-and-blow or press-and-blow, press-and-blow paste mold        and direct press processes in a glassware forming machine        including multiple machine sections and multiple cavities.    -   A single machine section can be quickly interchanged at a        multiple-section machine, by another ready-for-operation one,        without retiring said multiple-section machine from the working        area, for maintenance, repairing and/or actualizing.    -   The transferable and open-able neck ring molds are placed at a        constant “zero-line” height for the different height of articles        to be produced, so that height adjustments are unnecessary.    -   The unidirectional inverting apparatus are placed at a constant        “zero-line” height for the different height of articles to be        produced and/or processes, so that height adjustments are        unnecessary.    -   The pressing plunger apparatus is placed at a constant        “zero-line” height for the different height of articles to be        produced and/or processes, so that height adjustments are        unnecessary.    -   The pressing plunger apparatus is placed at a constant        “zero-line” height for the different height of articles to be        produced, requiring only a rapid change of the pressing plunger        or neck ring plunger, so that height adjustments are        unnecessary.    -   The variable compensator of the pressing plunger apparatus,        allows to change the height of the parison    -   The servo-controlled bi-directional curvilinear transference        apparatus is placed at a constant “zero-line” height for the        different height of articles to be produced, so that height        adjustments are unnecessary.    -   The blow head apparatus is placed at a constant “zero-line”        height, for the different height of articles to be produced, so        that height adjustments are unnecessary.    -   The bi-directional curvilinear translation take out apparatus is        placed at a constant “zero-line” height, for the different        height of articles to be produced, so that height adjustments        are unnecessary.    -   The neck ring holding arms of servo-controlled unidirectional        inverting apparatus, are mounted in a reduced inversion radius        which allows a reduction of inertial forces for the inversion        servo-controlled path of the parison.    -   The oscillating mechanism is the same for guide-funnel        apparatus, the baffle apparatus and the blow head apparatus, but        arranged in a left or right arrangement only for the        guide-funnel apparatus.    -   The opening and closing mechanism, is the same for the blank        mold apparatus and the blow mold apparatus.    -   The driving mechanism is the same for the servo-controlled        unidirectional inverting apparatus, the servo-controlled        bi-directional curvilinear transference apparatus, and the        servo-controlled bi-directional curvilinear take out apparatus,        but arranged in a left or right arrangement only for the        servo-controlled bi-directional curvilinear transference        apparatus.    -   The equalizing mechanism is the same for the baffle apparatus        and the blow head apparatus.    -   The machine is able to change from a blow-and-blow process to a        press-and-blow process or direct press, and vice versa, changing        only the mold tooling, without changing any mechanism, kits or        position adjustments

It is also a main objective of the present invention, to provide a newmethod for the production of hollow glassware articles, which allows anincreasing in the velocity of production and a reduction of the formingcycle time of the machine, and an improvement in the quality of theglassware articles produced.

It is another main objective of the present invention, to provide a newmethod for the production of hollow glassware articles, in which a firstparison, held by a first transferable and open-able neck ring moldmounted on a first arm of an inverting apparatus, is inverted, by anindexed rotation at 180°, clockwise or counterclockwise, from aninverted orientation to an upright orientation at an intermediatestation, while a second transferable and open-able neck ring moldmounted on a second arm of the inverting apparatus is simultaneouslyplaced at the parison forming station, to carry out a parison formingcycle.

It is jet another main objective of the present invention, to provide anew method for the production of hollow glassware articles, in which thefirst formed parison held by the first transferable and open-able neckring mold is transferred, through a semicircular path, from theintermediate station, to a blow molding station, in which the firstparison is released into a blow mold, turning back the firsttransferable and open-able neck ring mold empty to the first arm of theinverting apparatus, at the intermediate station to be placed again atthe parison forming station, by rotating the first arm additional 180°,completing a 360° turn, while the second arm reaches to the intermediatestation to carry out a transferring cycle.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will beapparent to those having ordinary skill in the field, from the followingdescription of the specific and preferred embodiments of the invention,provided in combination with the enclosed drawings

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1, is a schematic lay out view, showing all the sequential steps ofthe method and machine for the production of hollow glassware articles;

FIG. 1A, is a perspective view of the entire machine section for theproduction of hollow glassware articles, configured in accordance withthe present invention, showing the specific apparatuses of the so named“hot side” of the machine;

FIG. 1B, is a perspective view of the entire machine shown in FIG. 1A,showing the specific apparatuses of the so named “cold side” of themachine;

FIG. 2A is a cross-section front elevation view of a transferable andopen-able neck ring mold, of the machine for the production of hollowglassware articles, showing all its components in a parison pre-formingposition;

FIG. 2B is plant view of a transferable and open-able neck ring mold,partially showing a holding arm including a first embodiment of theflexible aligning component in a closed parison pre-forming position;

FIG. 2C is a plant view of a transferable and open-able neck ring mold,similar to FIG. 2B, partially showing the holding arm in an openedposition at an intermediate station;

FIG. 2D is a cross-section front elevation view of a transferable andopen-able neck ring mold, similar to FIG. 2A, showing all its componentsin an opened upright position at an intermediate station; and

FIG. 2E is a cross-section plant view of a transferable and open-ableneck ring mold, similar to FIG. 2B, partially showing a secondembodiment of the holding arm showing a half of the drawing in an openedposition and another halve in a closed position;

FIG. 3A is a perspective three-dimensional elevation view of the anspecific and preferred embodiment of the blank mold apparatus, for athree cavity machine section, shown from the so named “hot side”,including the blank mold, the blank mold holding mechanism and theopening and closing mechanism, constituting the same, for the glasswareforming machine of the present invention;

FIG. 3B is a perspective three-dimensional elevation view of the blankmold apparatus, similar to FIG. 3A, shown from the so named “cold side”oriented to the blow mold side;

FIG. 3C is a perspective three-dimensional elevation view of the blankmold apparatus, similar to FIG. 3B, shown from other side of the sonamed “cold side”;

FIGS. 3DA and 3DB are top plant views of two embodiments of arrangementsof the blank mold holding mechanism, of the blank mold apparatus of FIG.3C;

FIG. 3E is a frontal perspective three-dimensional elevation view of theblank mold holding mechanism of FIG. 3DA;

FIG. 3F is a rear perspective three-dimensional elevation view of theblank mold holding mechanism of FIG. 3DA;

FIG. 3G is a perspective three-dimensional elevation view of the blankmold apparatus, similar to FIG. 3A, showing a partial 90° cross-section,showing the transmission components thereof;

FIG. 3H is a plant view of the opening and closing mechanism for theblank mold apparatus, in a closed position, in accordance with anembodiment thereof;

FIG. 3I is a plant view of the opening and closing mechanism for theblank mold apparatus, in an opened position, in accordance with theembodiment of FIG. 3H;

FIG. 3J is an enlarged partial view of FIG. 1B, partially showing thecooling fluid feeding system for the blank mold apparatus shown from theso named “cold side”;

FIG. 3K is a view similar to FIG. 3J, in a partial cross-sectionthereof, showing a detail of the shown cooling fluid feeding system; and

FIG. 3L is a detailed perspective three-dimensional elevation view ofthe cooling fluid feeding system, in partial cross-section;

FIG. 4A is a front perspective three-dimensional elevation view, shownfrom the so named “hot side”, of a specific and preferred embodiment ofthe guide-funnel apparatus for the glassware forming machine of thepresent invention, showing its components;

FIG. 4B is a cross-section perspective elevation of the mounting of theguide-funnels for the guide-funnel apparatus of FIG. 4A;

FIG. 4C is a lateral perspective three-dimension elevation view, shownfrom another side of the so named “hot side”, of the guide-funnelapparatus of FIG. 4A; and

FIG. 4D is a perspective three-dimensional rear view in a detailedpartial cross-section of the oscillating mechanism for the guide-funnelapparatus;

FIG. 5A is a perspective three-dimensional elevation view, shown fromthe so named “hot side”, of a specific and preferred embodiment of thebaffle apparatus for forming the bottom of a parison into the blank moldapparatus, for the glassware forming machine of the present invention,for a press-and-blow or blow-and-blow processes;

FIG. 5B is a rear perspective three-dimension elevation view, shown fromthe so named “cold side”, of the baffle apparatus of FIG. 5A;

FIG. 5C is a perspective three-dimensional view of the equalizermechanism for the baffle apparatus of FIG. 5A;

FIG. 5D is a perspective three-dimensional view of the internal piecesof the equalizer mechanism of the baffle apparatus of FIG. 5C;

FIG. 5E is a cross-section perspective three-dimensional view of theequalizer mechanism for the baffle apparatus of FIG. 5C;

FIG. 5F is a lateral elevation view of the equalizer mechanism of FIG.5C;

FIG. 5G is a cross-section lateral elevation view of the equalizer takenalong lines A-A of FIG. 5F;

FIG. 5H is a cross-section lateral elevation view of the equalizer takenalong lines B-B of FIG. 5F; and

FIG. 5I is a cross-section lateral elevation view of the equalizer takenalong lines D-D of FIG. 5F

FIG. 6A is a perspective three-dimensional elevation view of a specificand preferred embodiment of the pressing plunger apparatus for forming aparison into the blank mold apparatus for the glassware forming machineof the present invention, for a press-and-blow process;

FIG. 6B is a perspective three-dimensional elevation view of thepressing plunger apparatus of FIG. 6A, in different positions;

FIG. 6C is a cross-sectional perspective three-dimensional elevationview of the pressing plunger apparatus of FIG. 6B;

FIG. 6D is an enlarged detailed cross-sectional view of the lower partof the pressing plunger apparatus of FIG. 6C;

FIG. 6E is an enlarged and detailed cross-sectional view of anintermediate part of the pressing plunger apparatus of FIG. 6C;

FIG. 6F is an enlarged and detailed cross-sectional view of the upperpart of one position of the pressing plunger apparatus of FIG. 6C;

FIG. 6G is an enlarged and detailed cross-section partial plant view, ofa sealing sleeve and fluid passages of the first cylinder and pistonassembly of the pressing plunger apparatus of FIG. 6E;

FIG. 6H is an enlarged and detailed cross-section partial plant view, ofa hollow piston rod of the second cylinder and piston assembly of thepressing plunger apparatus of FIG. 6E;

FIG. 6I is an enlarged and detailed cross-sectional perspectivethree-dimensional elevation view of the upper part of all of thepositions of the pressing plunger apparatus of FIG. 6C, for apress-and-blow process;

FIG. 6J is an enlarged cross-section lateral elevation view of the upperpart of the pressing plunger apparatus of FIG. 6B, for a blow-and-blowprocess;

FIG. 6K is an enlarged and detailed cross-section lateral elevation viewof the upper part of the pressing plunger apparatus of FIG. 6J, in acharging and settle blow position into a transferable and open-able neckring mold for a blow-and-blow process;

FIG. 6Ka is a perspective elevation view of the variable adaptingsegment of the third cylinder and piston assembly of the pressingplunger of FIG. 6B; and

FIG. 6L is an enlarged and detailed cross-section lateral elevation viewof the upper part of the pressing plunger apparatus of FIG. 6J, in acounter-blow position for a blow-and-blow process;

FIG. 7A, is a perspective three-dimensional elevation view of a specificand preferred embodiment of the unidirectional inverting apparatus forthe machine for the production of hollow glassware articles, of thepresent invention, shown from the blank mold side or so named “hotside”;

FIG. 7B, is a perspective three-dimensional elevation view, in partialcross-section, of the unidirectional inverting apparatus, showing itsinternal driving components, shown from the blow mold side or so named“cold side”;

FIG. 7C is an enlarged and detailed cross-section perspective view of aright end of the unidirectional inverting apparatus of FIG. 7B;

FIG. 7D is an enlarged and detailed cross-section perspective view ofthe central portion of the unidirectional inverting apparatus of FIG.7B; and

FIG. 7E is an enlarged and detailed cross-section view of the left endof the unidirectional inverting apparatus of FIG. 7B;

FIG. 8A is a perspective three-dimensional elevation view, shown fromthe so named “cold side”, of a specific and preferred embodiment of theservo-controlled bi-directional curvilinear transference apparatus, forthe glassware forming machine of the present invention, for transferringa parison held by a transferable and open-able neck ring mold from theintermediate station, to the blown mold apparatus.

FIG. 8B is a partial cross-section perspective three-dimensional view ofthe servo-controlled bi-directional curvilinear transference apparatusshown in FIG. 8A;

FIG. 8C is an enlarged and detailed cross-section perspectivethree-dimensional view of the lower end of the servo-controlledbi-directional curvilinear transference apparatus shown in FIG. 8B

FIG. 8D is an enlarged and detailed cross-section perspective view ofthe intermediate portion of the servo-controlled bi-directionalcurvilinear transference apparatus shown in FIG. 8B;

FIG. 8E is an enlarged and detailed cross-section perspective view ofthe upper end of the servo-controlled bi-directional curvilineartransference apparatus shown in FIG. 8B; and

FIG. 8F is a perspective three-dimensional elongated and detailed view,shown from another side of the so named “cold side”, of a portion of theupper end of the servo-controlled bi-directional curvilineartransference apparatus shown in FIG. 8A;

FIG. 9A is a perspective three-dimensional elevation view of a specificand preferred embodiment of the blow mold apparatus, for the glasswareforming machine of the present invention shown from the so named “hotside”;

FIG. 9B is a perspective three-dimensional elevation view of the blowmold apparatus of FIG. 9A, shown from the so named “cold side”;

FIG. 9C is a perspective three-dimensional elevation view of the blowmold apparatus, similar to FIG. 9B, shown from another position of theso named “cold side”;

FIG. 9D is an enlarged and detailed partial view of FIG. 1B, partiallyshowing the cooling fluid feeding system for the blow mold apparatus ofFIG. 9B;

FIG. 9E is a rear perspective three-dimensional elevation view of theblow mold holding mechanism of the blow mold apparatus of FIG. 9C; and

FIG. 9F is a front perspective three-dimensional elevation view of theblow mold holding mechanism of FIG. 9E, of the blow mold apparatus ofFIG. 9C;

FIG. 10A is a perspective three-dimensional elevation view of a specificand preferred embodiment of the bottom mold plate mechanism for the blowmold apparatus of the glassware forming machine of the presentinvention, shown from the “hot side” position;

FIG. 10B is the bottom mold plate mechanism of FIG. 10A shown from the“cold side” position;

FIG. 10C is a cross-section perspective three-dimensional elevation viewof the bottom mold plate mechanism of FIG. 10A;

FIG. 10D is a detailed three-dimensional perspective view of a vacuumand cooling passage network of the convertible bottom mold carrier plateof the bottom mold plate of FIG. 10B; and

FIG. 10E is a detailed three-dimensional perspective view of a bottommold carrier plate for the convertible bottom mold carrier plate of FIG.10D for the bottom mold plate of FIG. 10B;

FIG. 11A is a perspective three-dimensional elevation view of a specificand preferred embodiment of the blow head apparatus for the blown moldapparatus of the glassware forming machine of the present invention,shown form the “cold side”; and

FIG. 11B is a perspective three-dimensional elevation view of the blowhead apparatus, of FIG. 11A, shown from the “hot side”;

FIG. 12A, is a rear perspective three-dimensional elevation view, shownfrom the so namad “cold side”, of a specific and preferred embodiment ofthe a servo-controlled bi-directional curvilinear take out apparatus, totake out a finished article from the blow mold apparatus to a coolingdead plate or a carrier conveyor;

FIG. 12B, is a three-dimensional detailed elevation view of the take outsection of the a servo-controlled bi-directional curvilinear take outapparatus of FIG. 12A, shown from another side of the so named “coldside”;

FIGS. 12C and 12D are enlarged and detailed partial cross-section frontviews of the gripping mechanism of the a servo-controlled bi-directionalcurvilinear take out apparatus of FIG. 12A, shown in a closed and openedpositions respectively;

FIG. 12E is another detail of FIG. 12D to showing the cut position oflines A-A of the gripping mechanism of the a servo-controlledbi-directional curvilinear take out apparatus; and

FIG. 12F is a cross-section plant view of the gripping mechanism of thea servo-controlled bi-directional curvilinear take out apparatus, shownthe details at the cut section along lines A-A of FIG. 12E.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

For a best comprehension of the invention, the machine of the presentinvention, which usually is comprised by several (usually six to eight)similar machine sections, will be firstly described by referring to asingle machine section including only the components and apparatuseswhich impart the new concepts of the machine and of the process, in avery general way, comprised by the new components and components whichcan be selected from the known ones in the field, and then describingall them in a full detail including their new characteristics andadvantages thereof, and afterwards, the new method will be described byreferring only to the steps which also impart the new concept of theforming process, in a very general way and then by describing all thesteps which advantageously can be performed by the component apparatusesof this machine.

Additionally, for the sake of simplicity of description, the machinewill be described referring to a single cavity, under the previsionthat, as illustrated in the shown drawings, the preferred embodiment ofthe machine is referred to a so named “multiple (triple) cavity”machine.

And last but not least, some of apparatuses include components which arerepeated in the same apparatus or in another one and, therefore, onlyone of them will be described and numbered in the drawings. Similarly,when, components are constituted by two similar opposed halves, only onewill de described but both will be numbered with the same referencenumber but including an apostrophe or accompanied with a letter inalphabetical order.

Considering the former clarifications, a single machine section of themachine for the production of hollow glassware articles, such asbottles, jars, tumblers and other glassware articles, by thepress-and-blow process, both hot mold and paste mold, blow-and-blowprocess, and direct press, as generally illustrated in FIGS. 1, 1A and1B, which, because of its configuration herein described, can be takenout from the whole machine comprised by several machine sections, andchanged by another similar machine section, for maintenance or repairingsaid machine section comprising, in combination:

a) a parison forming station PFS including a blank mold apparatus BMA,an inverting apparatus UIA (generally illustrated in FIG. 7A) includingat least one open-able horizontal holding arm 260, and at least onetransferable and open-able neck ring mold 1 (generally illustrated inFIGS. 2A to 2D), per cavity, removable held by the horizontal holdingarm 260 of the inverting apparatus UIA, to be initially placed under theblank mold apparatus BMA to form a parison P which is held by saidtransferable and open-able neck ring mold 1 once formed and transferredby the inverting apparatus UIA from this parison forming station PFS toan intermediate station IRS at an upright orientation;

b) an intermediate station IRS including a transference apparatus BCTA(generally illustrated in FIGS. 8A to 8F) to transfer the parison P heldby the transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1 from the invertingapparatus UIA at the intermediate station IRS to a blow forming stationBFS, said transference apparatus BCTA comprising holding finger arms331, 331′ normally closed, gripping fingers 331 a, 331 b coupled to theholding finger arms 331, 331′ for internally gripping the transferableand open-able neck ring mold 1 at said intermediate station IRS, and atwo-positions opening mechanism TFC (more specifically illustrated inFIG. 8E) which, at a first position, partially opens the grippingfingers 331 a, 331 b to grip the transferable and open-able neck ringmold 1 gripping the parison P, while simultaneously the invertingapparatus UIA release them to be retained by the gripping fingers 331 a,331 b of this transference apparatus BCTA at said intermediate stationIRS and, at the blow forming station BFS, the gripping fingers 331 a,331 b are additionally opened, opening the transferable and open-ableneck ring mold 1 releasing the parison P at said blow forming stationBFS, but still keeping the transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1held by the gripping fingers 331 a, 331 b of the transference apparatusBCTA; and in an inverse way, said gripping fingers 331 a, 331 b of thetransference apparatus BCTA turn the empty transferable and open-ableneck ring mold 1 closed from said blow forming station BFS, back to theintermediate station IRS, and are further closed, releasing the emptytransferable and openable neck ring mold 1 at the open-able horizontalholding arm 260 of the inverting apparatus UIA to be held thereby for afollowing forming cycle; and

c) a blow forming station BFS comprising a blow mold apparatus BLMA(FIGS. 9A to 9F), to receive the parison P from the transferenceapparatus BCTA, and form a finished article, and a take out apparatusBCTOA, to transfer the finished article from the blow mold apparatusBLMA to a dead plate or to a carrier conveyor.

In a most advanced embodiment of the machine of the present inventionallowing an increase in the velocity of production and a reduction inthe forming cycle time, the inverting apparatus UIA comprises a firstopen-able horizontal holding arm 260 initially placed under the blankmold BM and a second openable horizontal holding arm 261 initiallyplaced stepped, inverted and diametrically opposed to the firstopen-able horizontal holding arm 260, at an intermediate station IRS,and a first transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1, per cavity,removable held by the first open-able horizontal holding arm 260 and asecond opposed transferable and open-able neck ring mold 2 held by thesecond open-able horizontal holding arm 261 of the inverting apparatusUIA, to indexed unidirectional and simultaneously rotate said firstopen-able horizontal holding arm 260 holding the first transferable andopen-able neck ring mold 1 holding in turn a just formed parison P, 180°clockwise moving the parison P upwardly constricting it, orcounterclockwise moving the parison P downwardly stretching it, aroundan horizontal rotary axis, to invert the parison P held by the firsttransferable and open-able neck ring mold 1, from the parison formingstation PFS to the intermediate station IRS, at an upright orientation,simultaneously placing the second open-able horizontal holding arm 261holding the second transferable and open-able neck ring mold 2 under theblank mold BM for another parison forming cycle.

In its most complete and specific embodiment of the glassware formingmachine, in accordance with the present invention, including all of thenew concepts and advantages thereof, this machine comprising:

a) a machine section frame MSF;

b) an apparatus support frame ASF mounted on the machine section frameMSF, for mounting machine components;

c) a power and fluid feeding system in both the machine section frameMSF and apparatus support frame ASF, to provide electric energy,lubricants and cooling and operating fluid to the machine section,comprising: ducts for electrical cable and ducts for lubricants andcooling and operating fluid; two pairs of “T” shaped sliding valves SV,one pair for transmitting the cooling fluid to a blank mold apparatusBMA and another pair for transmitting the cooling fluid to a blow moldapparatus BLMA, each valve SV comprising a sliding platform SP (FIGS.3J, 3K and 3L), for transmitting the cooling fluid throughout theopening and closing paths of the blank mold apparatus BMA and the blowmold apparatus BLMA, including a spring 19 supported by a shoulder screwSS for maintaining a seal at the sliding platform SP, and a tubularportion TP supported by the blank mold support frame BSF, and connectedto a cooling fluid conduit 14 of a blank mold holding mechanism BMHM, inorder to provide the cooling fluid and guaranteeing a continuouscommunication of the cooling fluid during the whole path of movements ofthe blank mold apparatus BMA and the blow mold apparatus BLMA;

d) a parison forming station PFS comprising, as illustrated in FIG. 1:

-   -   i) a first transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1 per        cavity and a second transferable and open-able neck ring mold 2        per cavity (FIG. 7A), each having: two neck ring mold halves 3,        3′ (FIGS. 2A to 2E), assembled opposed face to face defining a        neck ring forming cavity N, N′; holding means illustrated as        external holding grooves G1, G1′ and internal handling grooves        G3, G3′, to be held and handled by other components of the        machine; assembling means, represented by external holding        groove G4, G4′, and an annular tension spring 4 placed into the        external holding groove G4, G4′ embracing the assembled neck        ring mold halves 3, 3′, normally maintaining them closed when        they are transferring and positioning a parison P at other        locations; and guiding means illustrated as guiding grooves        G2,G2′ and a flange F3, for maintaining the neck ring mold        halves 3, 3′ aligned to each other, said transferable and        open-able neck ring mold 2 being placed stepped, opposed and        inverted to the first transferable and open-able neck ring mold        1, and both transferable and open-able neck ring molds 1 and 2        are mounted on an unidirectional rotary inverting apparatus UIA,        to be alternately and removable placed at a position under a        blank mold BM to be embraced thereby, at a so named blank mold        “zero-line” OB which is a constant position from an inverting        center, independent of the size of the blank mold BM, the        parison P and the finished article, all of which will be also        described below, for forming a finished neck ring for a        corresponding glassware article when a molten glass gob is fed        into the blank mold filling also the transferable and open-able        neck ring mold 1; said blank mold “zero-line” OB is a constant        position for all kind of products to be produced, facilitating a        quick change of tooling, avoiding that the position of the neck        ring holder, the piston mechanism, the blank mold, blow mold and        take out apparatuses, had to be adjusted in accordance with the        size of the articles to be produced, by means of a number of        calibrator instruments;    -   ii) a blank mold apparatus BMA, generally illustrated in FIGS.        3A to 3L, comprising a blank mold BM per cavity, for forming a        parison P (illustrated in FIG. 1), once a molten glass gob has        been feed therein; said blank mold BM is formed by two similar        blank mold halves 10, 10′, each having a parison forming cavity        PC, PC′, and cooling means, represented by axial passages AP,        AP′ for cooling the blank mold halves; mounting means,        represented by a holding flange 11, 11′, to be mounted on a        blank mold holding mechanism BMHM, mounted on a blank mold        support frame BSF mounted in turn on the mechanism support frame        MSF, at the above referred blank mold “zero-line” OB, which is        operated by an opening and closing mechanism BO&C, to close the        blank mold halves 10, 10′ for receiving a glass gob and forming        a parison P therein and opening said blank mold halves 10, 10′        to release the formed parison P, said blank mold holding        mechanism BMHM and said opening and closing mechanism BO&C will        be disclosed specifically afterwards;    -   iii) a guide-funnel apparatus GFA illustrated in FIGS. 4A to 4D        of the drawings, mounted on the apparatus support frame ASF,        comprising funnel-carrier means including a funnel-carrier arm        70 supported and operated by an oscillating mechanism OSM which        will be similar as for a baffle apparatus BA and of a blow head        apparatus BLHA, all of which will be described in the following,        and a guide-funnel 73 per cavity, mounted on the funnel-carrier        arm 70, so that the oscillating mechanism OSM will oscillate the        funnel-carrier arm 70 for placing the guide-funnel 73 over the        blank mold BM, in coincidence with the cavity PC or PC′ for        guiding a molten glass gob into the blank mold BM, and retire it        once the glass gob has been fed;    -   iv) a baffle apparatus BA, illustrated in FIGS. 5A to 5I of the        drawings, comprising a hollow baffle-carrier arm 100 supported        and operated by an oscillating mechanism OSM corresponding to        this baffle apparatus BA, mounted on the apparatus support frame        ASF, including holding means represented by a holder 101 for        retaining a baffle holder 102, for holding an equalizing        mechanism EM which is similar as for a blow head apparatus BLHA,        and which will be described in the following, and baffle head        means per cavity, including a baffle head 103 having a mounting        flange 104 to be retained into the baffle holder 102 or mounted        in the equalizing mechanism EM, so that the oscillating        mechanism OSM will oscillate the hollow baffle-carrier arm 100        for placing the baffle head 103 either alone or into the        equalizing mechanism EM over the blank mold BM, in order to form        the bottom of the parison P in the press-and-blow process or        provide a settle blow through said hollow baffle-carrier arm 100        connected to an external source of pressurized air, in the        blow-and-blow process; and retire it once the parison P has been        formed; and    -   v) a pressing plunger apparatus PPA, illustrated in FIGS. 6A to        6L of the drawings, placed at a so named blank mold “zero-line”        position OB which is a constant position independent of the size        of the blank mold BM, the parison P and the finished article,        said pressing plunger apparatus PPA can be configured for a        press-and-blow forming process or for a blow- and blow-forming        process, and comprising an arrangement of multiple cylinder and        piston assemblies 160 per cavity, having a pressing plunger 209        driven by said cylinder and piston assemblies 160, either for        forming the entire parison by introducing the pressing plunger        209 for a whole run through the transferable and open-able neck        ring mold 1, and retiring it once the entire parison P has been        formed by the press-and-blow process, or introducing the        pressing plunger 209′ for a short run through the transferable        and open-able neck ring mold 1, to form the finished neck ring        of the parison P and retiring it for providing a counter-blow        for forming the entire parison P by the blow-and-blow process;        and fluid passages represented by central conduit 165 at the        cylinder and piston assemblies 160, for feeding cooling and        operating fluid from an external source;

e) an unidirectional rotary inverting apparatus UIA, illustrated inFIGS. 7A to 7E, mounted on the apparatus support frame ASF, comprising arotary support driving mechanism comprised by: a rotary carcass 240,coupled to a power output shaft 287 of a driving mechanism DM which willbe described in detail in the following, to be unidirectional andindexed rotated thereby firstly 180° clockwise (moving the parisonupwardly constricting it) or counterclockwise (moving the parisondownwardly stretching it) and then additional 180° completing a 360°turn; a first pair of open-able horizontal neck ring holding arms 260,261, and a second pair of open-able horizontal neck ring holding arms260′, 261′, respectively coupled stepped and opposed to each other, tothe rotary carcass 240, to respectively retain the transferable andopen-able neck ring molds 1 and 2; and a neck ring mold holding andreleasing mechanism NRHM and NRHM′, for uniformly and simultaneouslyopening and closing the openable horizontal neck ring holding arms 260,261, 260′, 261′, mounted on the rotary support driving mechanism DMplaced outside of the horizontal rotary axis, to release thetransferable and open-able neck ring mold 1 or 2, remaining supported byit at an intermediate station IRS to be held by a transference apparatusBCTA; so that the first pair of open-able horizontal neck ring holdingarms 260, 261 gripping a first transferable and openable neck ring mold1 holding a parison P, at the blank mold “zero-line” OB, is firstlyrotated 180° clockwise (moving the parison upwardly constricting it) orcounterclockwise (moving the parison downwardly stretching it), to placethe parison P held by the first transferable and open-able neck ringmold 1 at the intermediate station IRS (illustrated in FIG. 1), at ablow mold “zero-line” position OM releasing the transferable andopen-able neck ring mold 1, while the second pair of open-ablehorizontal neck ring holding arms 260′, 261′ with the secondtransferable and open-able neck ring mold 2 is simultaneously placedunder the blank mold apparatus BMA to form a second parison P, and then,when the first pair of open-able horizontal neck ring holding arms 260,261 receive back the first transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1,empty, it is able to turn back to the parison forming station PFS byunidirectional rotating them other 180°, completing a 360° turn, foranother parison forming cycle;

f) a transference apparatus BCTA, generally illustrated in FIGS. 8A to8F, mounted on the apparatus support frame ASF, operated by a drivingmechanism DM which is similar to that of the unidirectional rotaryinverting apparatus UIA, and to the take out apparatus BCTOA to transfera parison held by a transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1 or 2, atthe blow mold “zero-line” OM with a bi-directional and curvilineartranslation movement from the intermediate station IRS to a blow formingstation BFS (FIG. 1); said transference apparatus BCTA comprising: anoscillatory hollow arm 305, mounted on said driving mechanism DM andboth mounted on the apparatus support frame ASF; a parison transferencemechanism PTM, mounted on an inverted U-shaped oscillating support 321which is in turn mounted on the oscillatory hollow arm 305, includingcarrier holders 327, 327′, including holding finger arms 331,331′,normally maintained closed by springs 329, 329′ and 330, 330′ which willbe later described, and gripping fingers 331 a, 331 b coupled to theholding finger arms 331, 331′ for internally gripping the firsttransferable and open-able neck ring mold 1 or 2; and a two-positionsactuating fluid motor 332 (FIG. 8E) for the carrier holders 327, 327′,so that, at a first position of the two-positions actuating motor 332,the gripping fingers 331 a, 331 b are opened in order to grip the firsttransferable and open-able neck ring mold 1 gripping a parison P, whilesimultaneously the open-able horizontal neck ring holding arms 260, 261of the unidirectional rotary inverting apparatus UIA are openedreleasing said first transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1, to beretained by the gripping fingers 331 a, 331 b of this transferenceapparatus BCTA at the intermediate station IRS, and once the parison Pheld by the transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1 is transferredto the blow forming station BFS, at a second position of thetwo-positions actuating motor 332, the holding finger arms 331, 331′ areadditionally opened at a second position, in order to additionally openthe gripping fingers 331 a, 331 b, opening the first transferable andopen-able neck ring mold 1 releasing the parison P into a blow moldapparatus BLMA, but keeping the first transferable and open-able neckring mold 1, empty and closed, held by the gripping fingers 331 a and331 b; and in the inverse way, said gripping fingers 331 a and 331 b ofthe transference apparatus BCTA turn back the empty transferable andopen-able neck ring mold 1 closed at the intermediate station IRS, andare further closed releasing the empty transferable and open-able neckring mold 1 at the open-able horizontal neck ring holding arms 260, 261of the unidirectional rotary inverting apparatus UIA to be held therebyfor a following forming cycle, and lifting the empty gripping fingers331 a and 331 b at a about 90°, position, waiting for a following cycle;and

g) a blow forming station BFS comprising:

a blow mold apparatus BLMA, generally illustrated in FIGS. 9A to 9F,comprising:

-   -   i) a blow mold BLM, which is the same for each blow mold of a        multiple-cavity machine, for forming a finished glassware        article, once a finished parison has been feed thereto, and        including: two similar blow mold halves 350 a, 350 b, each        having a forming cavity MC, MC′; a blow mold holding mechanism        MHM, illustrated in FIG. 9A, mounted on the machine section        frame MSF, and which is entirely similar as the blank mold        holding mechanism BMHM already described above, having specific        dimensions, in which the opposed blow mold halves 350 a, 350 b        are mounted; a mold opening and closing mechanism MO&C, which is        similar as the blank mold opening and closing mechanism BO&C,        and operates in the same way, mounted on the mold holding        mechanism MHM, for closing the blow mold halves 350 a, 350 b        enclosing a parison fed thereto to be blown therein for forming        a finished article, and opening them releasing the forming        article;    -   ii) a bottom mold plate mechanism BPM illustrated in FIGS. 10A        to 10E, including a bottom plate 383 a, 383 b, 383 c held on a        bottom mold-carrier plate 379, mounted on a mounting block 360,        mounted in turn on the floor cover FC of machine section frame        MSF, to form the bottom of a glass article when it is embraced        by the blow mold halves 350 a and 350 b of the blow mold BLM at        the blow forming station BFS; and    -   iii) a blow head apparatus BLHA illustrated in FIGS. 11A and        11B, comprising: a hollow blow head-carrier arm 390 supported        and operated by an oscillating mechanism OSM which is similar to        the oscillating mechanism OSM or the “rotolinear oscillating        mechanism” RLM of the guide-funnel apparatus GFA and the baffle        apparatus BA, mounted on the apparatus support frame ASF, and        including a holder 391 for retaining a blow head holder 392, for        holding an equalizing mechanism EM which is entirely similar as        that of the baffle apparatus BA; and a blow head 393 retained        into a blow head holder 392 or mounted in the equalizing        mechanism EM, so that the oscillating mechanism OSM will        oscillate the hollow blow head-carrier arm 390 for placing the        blow head 393 either alone or into the equalizing mechanism EM        over the blow mold BLM, in order to provide a final blown        through said hollow blow head-carrier arm 390, connected to an        external source of pressurized air, to form a finishing        glassware article and retire it once the finished glassware        article has been formed; and

h) a take out apparatus BCTOA, generally illustrated in FIGS. 12A to12F, mounted on the take out support frame TOSF and the machine sectionframe MSF, to transfer a finished article from the blow forming stationBFS at the blow mold “zero-line” OM, to a dead plate or a carrierconveyor which has an entirely similar configuration as the transferenceapparatus BCTA, which is operated by the driving mechanism DM which isalso entirely similar as those of the transference apparatus BCTA,except for the parison transference mechanism PTM, and comprisinginstead:

-   -   an article transference mechanism ATM, generally illustrated in        FIG. 12A, mounted on an inverted U-shaped oscillating support        321; a scissor mechanism 408 having a pair of parallel holding        arms 417 a, 417 b, and including a holding finger 418 (not        shown) for a single cavity machine, or three gripping fingers        418 a, 418 b and 418 c illustrated in FIG. 12B for a triple        cavity machine, in order to grip a finished article and take it        out from the blow mold and translate it to a cooling dead plate        or to a carrier conveyor; and

i) a programmable electronic control, to control the movements, cycletime and sequence of steps, as well as the tooling and electric power,fluid and lubrication operation of all of the mechanisms of the machine,in accordance with the type of glassware articles to be produced and theamounts of glassware articles and velocity of production of the machine.

Finally, as previously mentioned, the very specific embodiments of eachof the individual mechanisms forming the glassware forming machine inaccordance with the most complete and specific embodiment of the machineincluding all of the inventive concepts and advantages thereof, will bedescribed in the following.

Transferable and Open-able Neck Ring Molds.

The specific configuration for a preferable embodiment of each of thefirst and second transferable and open-able neck ring molds 1 and 2, asshown in FIGS. 7A and 2A to 2E, is constituted by: two neck ring moldhalves 3, 3′, assembled opposed face to face, both forming a neck ringmold cavity N, N′ for forming the finished neck ring of a parison P asshown in FIG. 1, which will be the same as the finished article; a firstexternal groove G1, G1′ to be held by the open-able horizontal holdingarms 260, 261 and 260′, 261′, respectively, of the unidirectional rotaryinverting apparatus UIA, at the above referred blank mold “zero-line”OB; a first enclosing flange F1, F1′, by which the transferable andopen-able neck ring mold 1 is to be held by open-able horizontal holdingarms 260, 261 of the unidirectional rotary inverting apparatus UIA, asshown in FIG. 1, in a case in which it is in an intermediate station IRSholding a parison in an upright orientation, as shown in FIG. 2D, andeven when the open-able horizontal holding arms 260, 261, are in anopened position, avoiding that the transferable and open-able neck ringmold 1 falls down when the unidirectional rotary inverting apparatus UIAreleases the transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1 to be handledby the transference apparatus BCTA later described; and a second taperedaligning flange F2, F2′ to keep the neck ring mold halves 3, 3′, alignedwith the center of the blank mold BM, as shown in FIG. 2A and tight themboth against each other; a second internal guiding groove G2, G2′, for apurpose disclosed hereunder; a third internal handling groove G3, G3′,to hold the transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1 by thetransference apparatus BCTA as will be also described when describingsaid apparatus; and a fourth external holding groove G4, G4′, and anannular tension spring 4 placed into the fourth external holding grooveG4, G4′, embracing the assembled neck ring mold halves 3, 3′, normallymaintaining them closed when they are transferring and positioning aparison P at other locations, and which can be opened, by overcoming thetension force of the spring 4, from the third internal handling grooveG3, G3′ by means of gripping fingers 331 a, 331 b of the transferenceapparatus BCTA as shown in FIG. 8A, for releasing the parison P when itis transferred to a blow mold BLM; and a one-piece annular guide 5,having a flange F3 which is located into the second internal guidegrooves G2, G2′, for maintaining the neck ring mold halves 3, 3′ alignedto each other and provide an upper compliment of the finished neck ringof the glass article, when desired for specific requirements, as shownin FIG. 2A.

In a first embodiment of the transferable and open-able neck ring molds1 and 2, each of the neck ring mold halves 3, 3′, as illustrated in FIG.2C, include a plane face PAF1, PAF1′, defining four aligning pointcorners APC, APC′ to be aligned by a flat spring iron band IB, IB′ eachhaving a central flat face CFF and two inclined end faces IEF eachfinishing in an end flexible “V” shaped position limiter SPL, each ofsaid spring iron band IB, IB′ being held by the open-able horizontalholding arms 260, 261 and 260′ 261′ of the unidirectional rotaryinverting apparatus UIA, to avoid misalignment regarding the partitionline of the blank mold BM and a to avoid rotary displacement duringhandling thereof;

In a second embodiment of the transferable and open-able neck ring molds1 and 2, each of the neck ring mold halves 3, 3′, as illustrated in FIG.2E, include two pairs of plane angular faces PAF2, PAF2′ and PAF3,PAF3′, to be retained by the spring iron band IB, IB′ held by theopen-able horizontal holding arms 260, 261 and 260′ 261′ of theunidirectional rotary inverting apparatus UIA, to avoid misalignmentregarding the partition line of the blank mold BM and a to avoid rotarydisplacement during handling thereof;

Blank Mold Apparatus.

The blank mold apparatus BMA may be selected from an existing one in thecommerce, however, to achieve the interchangeability characteristic bothin the same section machine and as a machine section at the wholemachine of multiple-section, as well as to achieve a high speed andsmooth operation, and a high reliance on the closing force and heatdissipation abilities, in the following it is described a preferredembodiment of the blank mold apparatus BMA, as illustrated in FIGS. 3Ato 3L, comprising: a blank mold BM for forming a parison P, once amolten glass gob has been feed therein, and including: two blank moldhalves 10, 10′ opposed face to face to each other, each including ablank mold wall BW and BW′ (FIGS. 3B and 3C), a plurality of axialpassages AP, AP′ for cooling the blank mold halves 10, 10′, a parisonforming cavity PC, PC′ and a holding flange 11, 11′, to be mounted on ablank mold holding mechanism BMHM, mounted in turn on the blank moldsupport frame BSF mounted in turn on the mechanism support frame MSF, atthe above referred blank mold “zero-line” OB, and which is operated by ablank mold opening and closing mechanism BO&C both of which disclosedspecifically at paragraphs A and B in the following.

A. Blank Mold Holding Mechanism.

A specific blank mold holding mechanism BMHM, in accordance with apreferred embodiment of the blank mold apparatus BMA, as illustrated inFIGS. 3A to 3L, comprising: mounting means, represented by a mountingbracket 35 mounted on a blank mold support frame BSF mounted in turn onthe mechanism support frame MSF which will be specifically describedwhen a specific blank mold opening and closing mechanism BO&C bedescribed; a first and a second arms 15, 15′ pivotally mounted on themounting bracket 35 in a hinged arrangement, including blank moldholders (not illustrated) in which the blank mold halves 10, 10′ areheld by means of their holding flanges 11, 11′ (FIG. 3B); for a multiple(triple) cavity, said blank mold holders comprising equalizing meansincluding an equalizing beam 12, 12′ mounted on the first and secondarms 15, 15′ of the blank mold holding mechanism BMHM; a first singleblank mold holder 16 a, mounted in said equalizing beam 12, in which itis respectively mounted a blank mold halve 10; and a dual blank moldholder 16 b also mounted in said equalizing beam 12, in which are alsomounted two blank mold halves 10; and a first corresponding opposedsingle blank mold holder 16 a′ also mounted in said equalizing beam 12′,in which is respectively mounted a blank mold halve 10′ and a dual blankmold holder 16 b′ also mounted in said equalizing beam 12′, in which aremounted two blank mold halves 10′, so that the blank mold halves 10, 10′can be uniformly closed with a similar closing force; and an opening andclosing mechanism BO&C which, as previously mentioned, will be describedbelow in full detail, mounted on the blank mold support frame BSF whichis mounted in turn on the machine section frame MSF (FIG. 1A), forclosing and opening the arms 15, 15′, and consequently closing andopening the blank mold halves 10, 10′, in order to receive a moltenglass gob and form a parison P; and a blank mold cooling system BMCScomprising two two-halves cooling boxes 17,17′, including nozzles 18,18′placed at a fixed height, for directing cooling fluid into axialpassages AP, AP′ practiced at the wall of each of the mold halves 10,10′; the cooling boxes 17, 17′ are slide coupled on the sliding platformSP of the “T” shaped sliding valve SV mounted on the blank mold supportframe BSF (shown in FIGS. 3J to 3L), and maintained in sealed contact bythe spring 19 of said valve SV, providing a communication of the coolingfluid through a conduit 14 from the floor cover FC of the machinesupport frame MSF during the whole path of the opening and closingoperation of the blank mold BM.

The equalizing means have been described as including the single blankmold holders 16 a, 16 a′ facing against each other, and the dual blankmold holders 16 b, 16 b′ also facing against each other, both single anddual blank mold holders mounted in said equalizing beam 12, 12′ in whichit is respectively mounted a blank mold halve 10, 10′ so that the blankmold halves 10, 10′ can be uniformly closed with a similar closingforce; however, a second embodiment for the arrangement of thisequalizing means, as illustrated in FIG. 3DA, can be providing a singleblank mold holder, say 16 a, facing against a mold holder, say 16 b′ ₁of a dual blow mold holder 16 b′, so that the other single blank moldholder 16 a′ will face against the blank mold holder 16 b ₁ of the dualmold blank holder 16 b and the blank mold holders 16 b′ ₂ and 16 b ₂ ofboth dual blank mold holders 16 b′ and 16 b are faced against eachother.

In a third more economic embodiment, these equalizing means can includea single blank mold holder 16 a′ and a dual blank mold holder 16 b′,both facing against a trial blank mold holder 16 c pivoted on the pin 12a′, so that the effect that the mold halves 10, 10′ be uniformly closedwith a similar closing force, is achieved by the single and dual blankmold holders 16 a′, 16 b′ as illustrated in FIG. 3DB.

B. Blank Mold Opening and Closing Mechanism.

The blank mold opening and closing mechanism BO&C, as illustrated inFIGS. 3A to 3I, is common for both the blank mold and the blow mold, andcomprising:

support frame means including a carter 20 mounted on the blank moldsupport frame BSF, for the case of the blank mold BM and, on the machinesection frame MSF, in the case of the blow mold BLM, for placingtransmission components, including: a removable bottom plate 21, 21′ ateach side of the bottom of the carter 20, each of which having a housing22, 22′ (only one shown at FIG. 3G) including a shouldered plain bearing23, 23′ (only one shown); and a removable cap RC (shown in FIGS. 3B and3C) to allow assembling and maintenance of driving means andtransmission means;

driving means including a fluid actuator 24 comprising a cylinder 25horizontally retained at a side of the carter 20, including a piston 26having a horizontal piston rod 27, to provide a back and forth movement,and a first floating cushion bushing CB surrounding the piston rod 27 ata forth stroke, and a second cushion bushing CB′ coupled to the piston26, in order to cushion the end of the back stroke of the piston 26;

first transmission means comprising a horizontal plate 28 gripped to thepiston rod 27, including cylindrical rack portions 29, 29′ (only oneshown) at each end thereof, to be simultaneously moved back and forth bythe fluid actuator 24;

second transmission means comprising a rotary operating shaft 30, 30′,each of which including a lower support end 31, 31′ (only one shown)mounted into the plain bearing 23, 23′ of the bottom plate 21, 21′ and,near to said lower end, a pinion segment 32, 32′ (only one shown),gearing the rack portions 29, 29′, to provide a limited rotary movementto the shaft 30, 30′, and an intermediate support portion 33, 33′ (onlyone shown), and an upper anti-deflector support end 34, 34′ to avoiddeflection of the operating shaft 30, 30′;

support pivoting means comprising a mounting bracket 35 mounted on thecarter 20, including a hollow column 36, 36′, at each side thereof,placed at the position of the shafts 30, 30′ enclosing them, anintermediate internal housing 37, 37′ (only one shown), lodging a planebearing 38, 38′ (only one shown) holding the intermediate portion 33,33′ (only one shown) of the shafts 30, 30′, and a central conicalhousing 39, including an anti-sliding taper lock 40, retaining a lowerend of a central post 41 in which the first and second arms 15, 15′ ofthe blank mold holding mechanism BMHM are mounted on a wearing washer42, to act as a pivot for said first and second arms 15, 15′, and apositive stop member 43, 43′ (shown in FIG. 3H) positioned by anadjustable nut and screw assembly 44, 44′ to adjust the position of atoggle mechanism TM described in the following;

toggle means represented by a toggle mechanism TM comprising aconnecting crank 45, 45′ (shown in FIG. 3H) mounted on the upper end ofthe rotary operating shafts 30, 30′ by means of a clamping screw CS, apin key 47, 47′ to avoid torsion displacement of the crank 45, 45′, astop member 48, 48′, limiting the rotation of the crank 45, 45′ by theadjustable nut and screw assembly 44, 44′ of the mounting bracket 35,and a pin rod 49, 49′, a connecting rod 50, 50′ mounted on the pin 49,49′, and another pin 51, 51′, mounted on the connecting rod 50, 50′which is in turn mounted on the arms 15, 15′; in this way, when theangle θ between the connecting rod 50, 50′ and the line from the centerof the rotary operating shaft 30, 30′ to the center of the pin 51, 51′is near to 0°, the toggle mechanism TM provides the maximum closingforce of the blank mold halves 10, 10′, assured and limited by thepositive stop member 43 and 43′, the toggle effect can be additionallycontrolled by extending the longitude of the connecting rod 50, 50′, incase of wearing of the first and second transmission means; and

an anti-deflector plate 52 (as shown in FIG. 3G) held to the mountingbracket 35 and comprising a housing 53, 53′ retaining a plain bearing54, 54′ at each end thereof, in order to avoid deflection of the upperend 34, 34′ of the shaft 30, 30′, and a central anti-deflector plate 55held to the anti-deflector plate 52, including a housing 56 having abushing 57 in order to retain the upper end of the central post 41avoiding deflection thereof;

aligning means into said carter 20, comprising an alignment guide busing58, 58′ (only one shown) held by pressure by the carter 20, surroundingthe cylindrical rack portions 29, 29′ (only one shown), to align them,and a central bushing 59 surrounding an extension rod 60 of the pistonrod 27, which is coupled to the plate 28, in order to guide and supportthe piston rod 27 during its back and forth movement; and

position indicating means represented by a rotary-position indicator 61,connected at the lower end of one of the lower support end 31, toprovide a feedback about the position of the shaft 30 to measurevelocity, time and displacement of the opening and closing mechanismBO&C, and to synchronizing this opening and closing mechanism BO&Cregarding the unidirectional indexed rotary inverting apparatus UIA.

For safety purposes, a security pin lever SEPL (shown in FIGS. 3A, 3Cand 3G) is introduced through a hole at the connecting crank 45′ of therotary operating shaft 30′ of the opening and closing mechanism BO&C, inorder to lock said blank mold halves 10, 10′ avoiding that could beundesirably closed, for maintaining and tool change purposes.

Guide-Funnel Apparatus

A specific embodiment of the guide-funnel apparatus GFA illustrated inFIGS. 1A, 1B and 4A to 4D, mounted on the apparatus support frame ASF,comprising a funnel-carrier means including a funnel-carrier arm 70supported and operated by an oscillating mechanism OSM which will besimilar as for a baffle apparatus BA and of a blow head apparatus BLHA,including an annular funnel protector holder 71 to be retained, by meansof clamping means represented by a clamp 72 on the funnel-carrier arm70, and a guide-funnel 73 having mounting means represented by amounting flange 74 (FIG. 4B) to be retained into the funnel protectorholder 71, so that the oscillating mechanism OSM will oscillate thefunnel-carrier arm 70 for placing the guide-funnel 73 over the blankmold BM, in coincidence with the parison forming cavities PC and PC′while the blank mold halves 10, 10′ are still opened, to be ready whenthey are closed, for guiding a molten glass gob into the blank mold BM,and retire it once the glass gob has been fed.

Oscillating Mechanism

The oscillating mechanism OSM which, as formerly mentioned, will besimilar as for the baffle apparatus BA and of a blow head apparatus BLHAby which the funnel-carrier arm 70 of the guide-funnel apparatus GFAincluding the guide-funnel 73, the hollow baffle-carrier arm 100 (FIG.5A), including the baffle head 103 of the baffle apparatus BA or thehollow blow head carrier arm 390 (shown in FIG. 11A), including the blowhead 393 of the blow head apparatus BLHA, is simultaneously oscillatedand lowered from an upper retracted inactive position to a lower activeposition and, after a molten glass gob is fed, its is simultaneouslylifted and oscillated to the retracted upper position; this oscillatingmechanism is a “Rotolinear Oscillating Mechanism” RLM (FIG. 4A)comprising: fixed mounting means including a vertical fixed dovetailfemale guide 75 (FIGS. 1A and 1B) firmly held to the apparatus supportframe ASF, having left hand height adjusting means (viewed from the moldside) represented by a jack mechanism 76 (FIG. 4C), retained at itslower end; and adjustable mounting means including a support dovetailmale guide 77 (FIG. 4C) engaged to the dovetail female guide 75,supported by the jack mechanism 76 in order to adjust the height of thisguide-funnel apparatus GFA, which is then firmly fixed to the dovetailfemale guide 75 by screws SF, a square male slide way 78, firmly coupledto the support dovetail male guide 77, an adjustable male cam 79 coupledto the support dovetail male guide 77, a horizontal mounting plate 80,coupled on the support dovetail male guide 77, drive means comprising alinear fluid motor 81, coupled to the horizontal mounting plate 80,having a piston rod 82, and lifting and lowering means, comprising asquare “C” slide carriage 83, coupled at a lower free end of the pistonrod 82, in order to be lifted and then lowered by the piston rod 82 whenthe linear fluid motor 81 is actuated; said square “C” slide carriage 83including lateral, back and forth slide way bearings SWB (FIG. 4D), oneof the lateral slide way bearings SWB including play adjusting meanssuch as a bearing 84 for reducing the play of the carriage 83;oscillating means comprising said adjustable male cam 79 having asmoothly descendant curved track, adjustably coupled to the dovetailmale guide 77, a vertical shaft 85 including bearings 86, 86′ (only oneillustrated at FIG. 4C) through which it is retained to the carriage 83by means of semi-annular clamps 87, 87′, and having a cam followercarrier 88 integrated thereto, including a pair of cam followers 89, 89′(only one illustrated) engaged to the adjustable male cam 79, which isadjusted by means of the backlash adjusting screws BAS to avoid backlashbetween this adjustable cam 79 and the cam followers 89, 89′, to followa combined linear and curved rotary profile; cooling means comprising afluid sleeve 90, surrounding the upper end of the shaft 85, throughwhich cooling air or blown air can be admitted and provided to the arm70 of the guide-funnel apparatus GFA, or the hollow baffle-carrier arm100 of the baffle apparatus BA, or the hollow blow mold carrier arm 390of the blow head apparatus BLHA through a passage 91, at the verticalshaft 85, to which the arm 70 of the guide-funnel apparatus GFA, or thehollow baffle-carrier arm 100 of the baffle apparatus BA or the hollowblow mold carrier arm 390 of the blow head apparatus BLHA, is retained;and position sensor means represented by position sensors PS, PS′.mounted on the support dovetail female guide 77, in order to providepositioning information for measuring and controlling of the times ofthe movements for mechanism synchronization.

In this way, when the linear fluid motor 81 is actuated, the piston rod82 is simultaneously lowered and oscillated by the combination of themale cam 79, and the cam followers 89, 89′ consequently lowering andoscillating the carriage 83 including the cam followers 89, 89′,following the profile of the male cam 79, the funnel-carrier arm 70 ofthe guide-funnel apparatus GFA including the guide-funnel 73, or thehollow baffle-carrier arm 100 including the baffle head 103 or thehollow blow head carrier arm 390 of the blow head apparatus BLHAincluding the blow heads 393, from an upper retracted inactive positionto a lower active position, and vice versa.

Baffle Apparatus.

The baffle apparatus BA, as illustrated in FIG. 5A to 5I, comprising ahollow baffle-carrier arm 100 supported and operated by the oscillatingmechanism OSM, mounted in turn on the apparatus support frame ASF (FIGS.1A and 1B), and including: holding means comprised by a holder 101 forretaining a baffle holder 102, (FIGS. 5C and 5E) which is elongated forthe case of a single cavity, or extended for holding an equalizingmechanism EM which is the same as for a blow head apparatus BLHA, andwhich will be described in the following, and a baffle head 103 having amounting flange 104 (FIG. 5E) to be retained into the baffle holder 102or mounted in the equalizing mechanism EM for a case of triple cavity,so that the oscillating mechanism OSM will oscillate the hollowbaffle-carrier arm 100 for placing the baffle head 103 either alone orinto the equalizing mechanism EM over the blank mold BM, in order toform the bottom of the parison P; and retire it once the parison P hasbeen formed.

As in the case of the guide-funnel apparatus GFA, this baffle apparatusBA includes right hand fixed mounting means (viewed from the side mold)including a vertical fixed dovetail female guide 75 (shown in FIGS. 1Aand 1B) firmly held to the apparatus support frame ASF, having heightadjusting means represented by a jack mechanism 76 (FIG. 5B), retainedat its lower end; and adjustable mounting means including a supportdovetail male guide 77 (FIG. 5B) engaged to the dovetail female guide75, supported by the jack mechanism 76 in order to adjust the height ofthis baffle apparatus BA, which is then firmly fixed to the dovetailfemale guide 75 by screws SF.

For a better performance of the baffle apparatus BA, a cartridge PM maybe inserted in the baffle head 103 which will be in contact with themolten glass, and is manufactured by a porous material, preferablyhaving a pore cross-section of about 0.004 in., allowing the passage ofair through it, in order to provide a settlement blown, providing astatic pressure to form the finished neck ring and avoid settle wavemarks, in the case of a blow-and-blow process, for the molten glass gobfeed to the blank mold BM, when the baffle apparatus BA is on a closedblank mold BM, and to allow the air at the space over the settled glassgob be displaced out of the blank mold BM, both in theblow-and-blow-process or the press-and-blow process, when a parison P isbeing formed, and allow cooling of the baffle head 103, the blank moldBM and the glass, and cleaning the baffle head 103 when it is in anupper inactive position, in this way, the porous material PM of thebaffle head 103, avoids additional movements of the baffle apparatus andeliminates dead times, and allows quality improvements because thesettle wave marks and baffle head marks in the bottom of the parison Pis reduced.

In a further embodiment, a vacuum can be applied through the porousportion of baffle head 103 to help the parison P to be properly andfaster formed into the blank mold BM. This vacuum can be provided byincluding a bi-directional valve (not illustrated) at the rotary shaft103 of the rotolinear mechanism RLM of FIGS. 4A to 4D, in bothblow-and-blow process and press-and-blow process.

Equalizing Mechanism

The equalizing mechanism EM which, as formerly mentioned, can be similaras for a blow head apparatus BLHA for the case of a multiple-cavity,specifically illustrated in FIGS. 5C to 5I for a triple cavity and, whenit is provided for the baffle apparatus BA for a so named triple cavitymachine, this equalizing mechanism EM comprising: holding meanscomprised by an equalizer carcass 110 including a horizontal holdingbody 111 coupled to the baffle holder 102 of the equalizing mechanismEM, having a central bore 112 for distributing a cooling or operatingfluid; a horizontal conduit 114 (FIG. 5E) centrally integrated to thehorizontal holding body 111, having a first end including a firsthousing 115, an intermediate portion having a central housing 117 and asecond end opposed to the first end, including a second housing 119,said housings 115, 117 and 119 being positioned co-lineally to thecenter of each parison forming cavity PC, PC′, and each housing 115, 117and 119 including a pair of opposed depending holding skirts 120 a, 120b and 120 c (FIG. 5F) and the central depending holding skirt 120 bincluding a hemi-bore 121, cooperating with a pair of clamps 122, to becoupled to the pair of holding skirts 120 b, each having a hemi-bore 123completing a holding bore for receiving a holding pin 125;

baffle-carrier means comprising a top opened central baffle-carrier 126b, and a first and a second top closed lateral baffle-carriers 126 a,126 c (FIG. 5E), each baffle-carrier 126 a, 126 b and 126 c to be placedat each housing 115, 117, 119, and comprising a vertical tubular conduit127 a, 127 b and 127 c each having a transversal bore 128 a, 128 b, 128c coinciding with the horizontal conduit 114, for fluid communication,the central vertical tubular conduit 127 including a conical flowcompensator CFC to equalize the fluid regarding the other verticaltubular conduits 127 a and 127 c, a sealing metallic piston ring 129 a,129 b, 129 c sealing the housings 115, 117 and 119, to avoid leakage ofcooling and/or operation fluid, and two pairs of opposed horizontalretention flanges 130 a, 130 b, and 130 c (FIG. 5D), for providingscotch yoke-like up and down positive movements for equalizing forcesand controlling the differences of height of the blank molds BM, anddefining a flat retention portion 131 a, 131 b, and 131 c between them,at each opposite side of the tubular conduit 127 a, 127 b and 127 c tobe retained by rocker arms which will be described in the following; anda perpendicular, horizontal baffle holding ring 132 a, 132 b, 132 c(FIG. 5E) each having a peripheral “C” shaped flange 133 a, 133 b, 133 cincluding cuttings 134 a, 134 b and 134 c (FIG. 5F) for the introductionof a baffle head 103 which remains locked when turning on into theperipheral “C” shaped flange 133 a, 133 b, 133 c, and a housing 135 a,135 b and 135 c for a retractable retaining piston 136 a, 136 b and 136c, to avoid unlocking of the baffle head 103; and

rocker means comprising a first elongated rocker arm 137 (FIG. 5D) forholding the baffle-carrier 126 a, comprised by a pair of similar opposedparallel elongated arms 137 a, 137 b integrally retained, by a first end138, by a horizontal upper integral wall 139 and, at a second roundedfork end 140, by a vertical integral wall 141 defining a holding fork142 for retaining the baffle-carrier 126 a providing the up and downpositive scotch yoke-like movement; a first bore 143 passing throughboth elongated arms 137 a, 137 b at the first end 138 and a second bore144, 144′ passing also through both elongated arms 137 a, 137 b, at anintermediate portion thereof, for mounting purposes;

a second short rocker arm 146 (FIG. 5D) retaining the baffle-carriers126 b and 126 c, comprised by a pair of parallel arms 147 a, 147 b,integrally joined at an intermediate portion by an intermediate integralwall 149 (FIGS. 5D and 5I) having a bore 150 passing throughout theintegral wall 149, defining a first rounded fork end 151 and a secondrounded fork end 152 for retaining the baffle-carriers 126 b and 126 cand provide them an up and down positive scotch yoke-like movement;

this equalizing mechanism EM is assembled by firstly mounting thecentral top opened baffle-carrier 126 b at the second rounded fork end152 of the second short rocker arm 146; then introducing the first end138 of the first elongated rocker arm 137 over the second short rockerarm 146; introducing the pin 153 through the first bore 143 of the firstelongated rocker arm 137 and the bore 150 of the second short arm 146;loosely introducing the pins 154 and 154′ through the second bore 144and 144′ of the first elongated rocker arm 137, without interfering thesecond rounded fork end 152 of the second short rocker arm 146;introducing the baffle-carrier 126 c through the first rounded fork end151 of the second short rocker arm 146, and the baffle-carrier 126 athrough the second rounded fork end 140 of the first elongated rockerarm 137; and then mounting the equalizer carcass 110 over thebaffle-carriers 126 a, 126 b and 126 c, seating the hemi-bore 121 overthe pins 154, 154′ to be tightened retained by the pair of clamps 122,in order to allow the first and second rocker arms 137 and 146 to bebalanced on both pins 154 and 154′ and pin 153.

In this way, the equalizing mechanism EM in the baffle apparatus BA,will cause that, when any of the blank molds BM or blow molds BLM(triple cavity) present an uneven (stepped) top contact surface,consequently causing that one of the baffle heads 103 or blow heads 393will reach firstly to said uneven top contact surface, and will cause anequalizing effect which will force the remainder of the baffle heads 103or blow heads 393 to reach to the other top contact surfaces of theremaining blank molds BM or blow molds BLM, balancing the forces, makingthe sum of all the forces of each baffle heads 103 or blow heads 393equal to the total force applied by the baffle apparatus BA or the blowhead apparatus BLHA, independently of the heights of the blank mold BMor the blow molds BLM.

Pressing Plunger Apparatus.

The specific and preferred embodiment of the pressing plunger apparatusPPA, as illustrated in FIGS. 6A to 6L which can be configured for apress-and-blow forming process or for a blow- and blow-forming process,in accordance with the present invention, comprising:

a first cylinder and piston assembly 160 for approaching the pressingplunger apparatus PPA to a charging position (illustrated for triplecavity), including a first cylinder 161 having a top support 161′ (FIG.6E), mounted at a fixed constant position on the floor cover FC ofmachine section frame MSF (FIGS. 1A and 1B), having an upper internalscrewed portion 162; fluid passages 162′ at the top support 161′ of theupper end of the cylinder 161, for feeding operating fluid from anexternal source, for retracting the first annular piston 166; and abottom end cap 163 (FIG. 6D) retained on a integral fluid network plate164 for admission of operating fluid and cooling fluid for extending thestroke of the first annular piston 166, and a central conduit 165 forfeeding cooling fluid, in the press-and-blow-process, or a counter-blowin the blow-and-blow process;

a first annular piston 166 (FIGS. 6C and 6D) having shock absorbers SABboth at its lower and upper ends, placed into the cylinder 161, defininga lower chamber 167 for extending the first annular piston 166 to acharging approaching position, and an upper chamber 168 for retractingthe first piston 166 to a lower position, to allow inverting of theunidirectional rotary inverting apparatus UIA both in the apress-and-blow process or a blow-and-blow process, said first annularpiston 166 having a hollow piston rod 170 acting as a second internalcylinder for a second fluid motor to be described in the following, anupper internal screwed portion 171 (FIG. 6E) and a lower integralinternal bushing 172 including fluid passages 173 for feeding operatingfluid;

a first fixed sealing sleeve 175 mounted on the bottom cap 163 (FIGS. 6Dto 6H), for slide sealing the first piston 166 and its internal bushing172, having a plurality of perforations 174 near to its upper end; afirst fixed concentric grooved tube 176 having an internal bushing 176′,and is welded to the first sealing sleeve 175 defining internal fluidaxial passages 177 (FIG. 6G) communicating with perforations 174, forproviding operating fluid for extending a second pressing piston 184(described in the following) having shock absorbers SAB both at itslower and upper ends, for approaching the pressing plunger apparatus PPAto a pressing position, and a second concentric tube 178 into the firstgrooved tube 176, for feeding cooling air to a pressing plunger 209(later described) in the press-and-blow process or to a short neck ringforming plunger 209′ for providing a counter-blow or a vacuum in theblow-and-blow process (later described);

a first end cap rod bushing 179 (FIG. 6E) having an external screwportion 180 to be screwed to the upper internal screw portion 162 of thecylinder 161, for limiting the extended stroke of the first piston 166and guiding the hollow piston rod 170, and passages 179′ communicatedwith the passages 162′ of the cylinder 161, for providing operatingfluid for retracting the piston 166;

a second end cap rod bushing 181 (FIGS. 6E and 6F) having first fluidpassages 182 for providing fluid for the extended stroke of a thirdfinal pressing piston 201 (described in the following), and second fluidpassages 182′, for providing operating fluid for retracting a secondpiston 184 (later described) at its retracted stroke at chamber 184′,said fluid passages 182 and 182′ being fluid fed through an externaltelescopic tubing ETT through said second end cap rod bushing 181, saidsecond end cap rod bushing 181 having shock absorbers SAB at its upperend, and a lower external screw portion 183, screwed to the upperinternal screwed portion 171 of the hollow piston rod 170, to be liftedby said hollow piston rod 170 when the first piston 166 is actuated toits extended stroke limited by the first end cap rod bushing 179;

a guiding sleeve 211 mounted on the second end rod bushing 181 by meansof an annular bipartite retention flange 212, for guiding a release andguide member 230, and including a first internal spring 213 having alower end 214 (FIG. 6J) abutting against the flange 212 over the secondend rod bushing 181 and an upper end 215, connected with the upperexternal step 220, and a second external spring 216 having a lower end217 abutting also against the flange 212 over the second end rod bushing181 and an upper end 218 abutting against a lower end 231 of the releaseand guide member 230, for allowing a quick change of the piston 209 orshort neck ring forming plunger 209′, and cushioning and aligning aconnection of a floating guide sleeve 226 with the transferable andopen-able neck ring mold 1;

a pulling sleeve 219 including an upper external step 220 in which abutsthe upper end 215 of the first internal spring 213, and a secondinternal lower step 221 for defining said charge position;

a floating guiding sleeve 226 having an external conical upper end 227to be centered regarding the transferable and open-able neck ring mold1, an intermediate external annular shoulder 228 and a lower end 229which guides the plunger 209 throughout its stroke;

a release and guide member 230 having a lower end 231 abutting againstthe upper end 218 of the second external spring 216, and an upper end232 having an external screw portion 233, retaining a floating housing234 for the floating guiding sleeve 226, which can be moved in ahorizontal plane but not in the vertical plane, to assure aligning withthe transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1 or 2;

a retaining bushing 235 having an external annular shoulder 236 abuttingagainst an upper end of the guiding sleeve 211 (FIGS. 6F and 6I), to beretained by screws SCW (FIG. 6A) and a annular step 237, in order tolimit the stroke of the release and guide member 230; and a cap end 238(FIG. 6I) having a first annular step 239 abutting against the releaseand guide member 230 defining the floating housing 234, and an internalscrew portion 240 which is screwed to the external screw portion 233 ofthe release and guide member 230;

in this way, for mounting or demounting the pressing plunger 209 on theplunger carrier 207, and/or the variable adapting segment 222, thefirst, second and third pistons 166, 184 and 201 are placed at a fullyextended position, and then the floating guiding sleeve 226 is fullyretracted by compressing the springs 213 and 216, in order to allowaccess to the snap groove 208 of the plunger carrier 207;

a second cylinder and piston assembly comprising: a second charging andpre-pressing piston 184 (FIGS. 6E and 6F) slide placed into the hollowpiston rod 170 of the first cylinder and piston assembly 161, havingshock absorbers SAB both at its lower and upper ends of the secondcharging and pre-pressing piston 184, defining a lower chamber 173′ andan upper chamber 184′, and including a second hollow piston rod 188having fluid perforations 189 near to its lower end, and including asecond internal concentric grooved tube 190 defining fluid passages 190′connecting the fluid perforations 189 for passing operating fluid to athird final pressing piston 201 through a third end cap rod bushing 193described in the following, when the second piston 184 is in its fullyextended stroke, connecting in turn the passages 182 (FIG. 6F) of thesecond end cap rod bushing 181, of the first cylinder and pistonassembly 161, with said fluid perforations 189 of the second hollowpiston rod 188, said second hollow piston rod 188 including an upperexternal screw 191, to be screwed to an end cap rod bushing 193, and anupper internal screw portion 192, to be screwed to an internal bushing198 also described in the following;

a second movable up and down concentric tube 178 sliding into theinternal bushing 176′ of the first cylinder and piston assembly 161, forfeeding cooling air, counter-blow or vacuum to a pressing plunger 209 orshort neck ring forming plunger 209′

a third end cap rod bushing 193 (FIGS. 6F and 6I) at the upper end ofthe hollow piston rod 188 and the concentric grooved tube 190, forhousing a third final pressing cylinder 199 (FIGS. 6I to 6L), andincluding an internal screw portion 194 (FIG. 6I) to be screwed to theupper external screw 191 of the concentric grooved tube 190, and anexternal screw portion 195 to be screwed to an internal screw portion200 of a third final pressing cylinder 199 of the third final pressingpiston 201 described in the following; a fluid passage 196, coincidingwith the passages 190′ defined by the concentric grooved tube 190 andthe hollow piston rod 188, and an internal bushing 198 for guiding thelower piston rod 204 of a third final pressing piston 201 (bothdescribed in the following), so that when this second cylinder andpiston assembly is fully extended, place the pressing plunger 209 at apartial pressing position; and a third final pressing cylinder 199having a lower internal screw portion 200 to be screwed to the externalscrew portion 195 of the end cap rod bushing 193, which in turn definesa chamber 202; and

a third cylinder and piston assembly, comprising: a cylinder 199 havinga lower internal screw portion 200 to be screwed to the external screwportion 195 of the end cap rod bushing 193 of the second cylinder andpiston assembly, which in turn defines a chamber 202;

a third final pressing piston 201 (FIGS. 6F to 6L) placed into the thirdfinal pressing cylinder 199, defining a lower chamber 202 under thepiston 201, to be actuated by actuating fluid to the final pressingposition, and an upper chamber 203 over the piston 201, and having aspring SP for retracting the final pressing piston 201, a first lowerpiston rod 204 guided by the internal bushing 198, and an upper hollowpiston rod 205 including an internal screw portion 206 for a purposeletter described;

a plunger carrier 207 mounted on the upper hollow piston rod 205 havingan internal screw portion 206 screwed to the external screw portion 205′of the third final pressing piston 201, comprising an inner snap groove208 to retain a pressing plunger 209 for a press-and-blow process orshort neck ring forming plunger 209′ for the blow-and-blow process, andincluding a lower external screw portion 205′, to be screwed to theinternal screw portion 206 of the upper hollow piston rod 205;

a pressing plunger 209, for a press-and-blow process, having a holdingflange 210 to be introduced through the snap groove 208 of the plungercarrier 207 in order to be retained thereby;

a variable adapting segment 222 (FIGS. 6I to 6L) having an upper end 223including a semi-annular shoulder 224 having a recess 224′ (shown atFIG. 6Ka), retained between the plunger carrier 207 and the pressingplunger 209 or short neck ring forming plunger 209′, of this thirdcylinder and piston assembly, and a lower end 225 abutting against thesecond internal step 221 of the pulling sleeve 219 of this thirdcylinder and piston assembly, this variable adapting segment 222 pullsdownwardly the pulling sleeve 219 of said cylinder and piston assemblywhen the piston rod 188 of the second cylinder and piston assembly isretracted, compressing the spring 213, of the first cylinder and pistonassembly, for preparing the inverting movement of the unidirectionalrotary inverting apparatus UIA to take place; the recess 224′ of thesemi-annular shoulder 224, allows a rapid change of the pressing plunger209 or short neck ring forming plunger 209′, as well as the samevariable adapting segment 222, by pushing down the floating guidingsleeve 226, to release the pressing plunger 209 or short neck ringforming plunger 209′ for a charge position adjustment by varying thelength of this variable adapting segment 222;

for a press-and-blow process, in an inactive position, this parisonforming apparatus, is in a retracted position maintaining the pressingplunger 209 in a position allowing an inverting path of theunidirectional rotary inverting apparatus UIA and, by the effect of theoperating fluid fed to the lower chamber 167 under the first piston 166,simultaneously releasing the fluid from the upper chamber 168 of thefirst piston rod 170, from the upper chamber 184′ of the second pistonrod 188, and from the chamber 202 of the third pressing piston 201, andtherefore the first internal spring 213 is extended, pulling thevariable adapting segment 222, and the spring SP is also expanded, inorder to place the pressing plunger 209 at a charging position;

then, once the glass gob has been fed into the blank mold BM and thebaffle apparatus BA is placed at the top of the blank mold BM, operatingfluid is fed to the lower chamber 173′ under the second piston 184,placing it at a fully extended position and automatically connecting thepassage 182 of the second end cap rod bushing 181 with the perforations189 of the hollow piston rod 188 and of internal concentric grooved tube190 for feeding operating fluid to the third final pressing piston 201,when decided, so that the pressing plunger 209 is placed at its parisonforming position; and finally, once the parison P has been finished, thefirst, second and third pistons 165, 184 and 201 are simultaneouslyretracted to its initial position for a new parison forming cycle;

for a blow-and-blow process, the pressing plunger 209 is a short neckring forming plunger 209′ (FIGS. 6J to 6L), including a central passage165′ connecting with the central conduit 165, and a plurality ofdiagonal passages DP at about 45° regarding the central passage 165′,leading to a side of the short neck ring forming plunger 209′, so thatonce the first and second pistons 166, 184 are placed at a fullyextended position, the short neck ring forming plunger 209′ is placed ata charging and forming position, in sealed abutment against thetransferable and open-able neck ring mold 1, due to the fluid pressureat the chamber 202 and third pressing piston 201, and introducing theshort neck ring forming plunger 209′ into the cavity of the transferableand open-able neck ring mold 1 for receiving a molten glass gob, andthen by feeding operating fluid to the chamber 202, will cause that theflange piston FP of the short pressing plunger 209′ will be in sealingcontact with the neck ring mold halves 3,3′ or the one-piece annularguide 5 in order to allow a vacuum be applied through the diagonalpassages DP and through the passage 165 and 165′ to fill thetransferable and open-able neck ring mold 1 with the glass gob; and thenthe operating fluid is released from the lower chamber 202 under thethird pressing piston 201, extending the spring SP and the short neckring forming plunger 209′ is retracted, allowing a counter-blow fluidpassing through the diagonal passages DP, for finishing the parison P;and finally, once the parison P has been finished, the first, second andthird pistons 166, 184 and 201 are simultaneously retracted to itsinitial position for a new parison forming cycle.

By using a three-positions directional valve (not illustrated), saidcentral passage 165′ may provide both a positive or negative pressure,so that, for a blow-and-blow process, the short neck ring formingplunger 209′ at a charging position, may firstly provide a vacuumthrough the central passage 165′ and diagonal passages DP, in order thatthe glass gob completely and rapidly fills the transferable andopen-able neck ring mold 1, in addition to the settle blow provided bythe baffle head 103 of the baffle apparatus BA, and then, when thepiston 201 is retracted, the three-positions directional valve changesto positive pressure providing a counter-blow to form the parison P, andin a third position, said three-positions directional valve is underneutral inactive position.

For a convenience, an horizontal elongated nozzle NZ (shown at FIG. 6A),mounted on the top support 161′ of the first cylinder 160, provides ahorizontal compressed air curtain in order to avoid that contaminantdust particles, glass chips or grease fall down to the pressing plunger209 or short neck ring forming plunger 209′.

Unidirectional Rotary Inverting Apparatus.

An specific and preferably unidirectional rotary inverting apparatusUIA, in accordance with a specific embodiment of the present invention,as illustrated in FIGS. 7A to 7E, is servo-controlled, is mounted on theapparatus support frame ASF, and comprising:

a rotary support driving mechanism comprised by rotary carcass 240, tocontain and support, outside of the horizontal rotary axis, a neck ringmold holding and releasing mechanism NRHM, and NRHM′ (describedhereunder) for each of the neck ring holding arms 260, 261, 260′, 261′,having a first lateral end 241 including a power shaft 242 (FIG. 7B)coupled to a power output coupling 287 of a driving mechanism DM whichwill be described in detail in the following, to be unidirectionalindexed rotated thereby firstly 180° clockwise (moving the parisonupwardly constricting it) or counterclockwise (moving the parisondownwardly stretching it) and then additional 180° completing a 360°turn, and a second opposed lateral end 243 supported by a bearing 244which in turn is supported on a clamping support 245 supported on theapparatus support frame ASF to allow unidirectional indexed rotation ofsaid rotary carcass 240; a first pair of mounting guides 246 and 247 anda second pair of mounting guides 246′, 247′ diametrically opposed at180° to the first pair of mounting guides 246 and 247, each of which arehorizontally retained, parallel to the rotation axis, by the rotarycarcass 240, in order to parallel open and closing the neck ring holdingarms 260, 261, 260′, 261′; a first pair of sliding neck ring arm holders248 and 249 assembled opposed face to face, slide mounted on the firstpair of mounting guides 246, 247, and a second pair of sliding neck ringarm holders 248′, 249′ also assembled opposed face to face, slidemounted on the second pair of mounting guides 246′, 247′, which isplaced opposed 180° to the first pair of sliding neck ring arm holders248, 249; each of the neck ring arm holders 248, 249 and 248′ and 249′include a cam follower 250, 251, and 250′ and 251′ retained near to theopposite internal faces thereof for purposes later described; and acentral fixed axis 252, axially passing through the rotary center of thecarcass 240, for providing actuating fluid to single action fluid motors266, 267, and having a first end 253 which is supported by the powershaft 242 by means of a bearing 254, and a second end 255, supported andclamped by the clamping support 245; and a pair of passages 256, 257(FIG. 7E) connected to a source of actuating fluid, as a rotary union258, to provide operating fluid to said single action fluid motors 266,267;

a first pair of neck ring holding arms 260, 261, and a second pair ofneck ring holding arms 260′, 261′, respectively coupled to the slideneck ring arm holders 248, 249 and 248′ and 249′; each of the neck ringholding arms 260, 261 and 260′, 261′, including a semi-annular holdingflange 262, 263, and 262′, 263′ (FIG. 7A), to retain the transferableand open-able neck ring molds 1 and 2 by its flange F1, F1′ (shown atFIGS. 2A and 2B), a semi-annular retaining flange RF, RF′ (also shown atFIGS. 2A and 2B) under the semi-annular holding flanges 262, 263 and262′, 263′, in order that the neck ring holding arms 260, 261 retain thetransferable and open-able neck ring mold 1 when they are closed, duringthe inverting action; an elongated spring iron band IB, IB′ each havinga central flat face CFF and two inclined end faces IEF, each finishingin an end flexible “V” shaped position limiter SPL and are retained bypins PI (shown at FIGS. 2A and 2B) between the annular holding flanges262, 263 and 262′, 263′ and the semi-annular retaining flange RF, RF′,in order to align the neck ring mold halves 3, 3′, retained assembled bythe annular spring 4 (FIG. 2B), by heir two plane angular faces PAF1,PAF1′, to avoid misalignment regarding the partition line of the blankmold BM; the first pair of neck ring holding arm, 260, 261 retain thefirst transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1 at a so called fixedblank mold “zero-line” OB (FIG. 7A) while the second pair of neck ringholding arms 260′, 261′ retains the second transferable and open-ableneck ring old 2, placed at the so called fixed blow mold “zero-line” OM,both displaced downwardly and upwardly from the central axis of saidarms, so that as shown in FIG. 7A, said stepped fashion allows toinclude blank molds BM having different lengths, without the necessityto adjust the location of the blank mold apparatus BMA and maintaining agravity center of a formed parison P with a controlled centrifugal forceduring the inverting action; and

a neck ring mold holding and releasing mechanism NRHM, and NRHM′ (FIGS.7A, 7B and 7D) comprising a first pair of springs 264, 265 each of whichis mounted around an end of the mounting guides 247 abutting againsteach end of the rotary carcass 240 and against an external face of eachof the sliding neck ring arm holders 248 and 249, and a second pair ofsprings 264′ and 265′, each of which is similarly mounted around an endof the mounting guide 247′ abutting against each end of the rotarycarcass 240, and against an external face of the second pair of slidingneck ring arm holders 248′, 249′, in order to keep said first and secondpairs of neck ring arm holders 248, 249 and 248′, 249′ and,consequently, said first and second pairs of neck ring holding arms 260,261, and 260′, 261′, normally closed by the pushing force of saidsprings 264, 265 and 264′, 265′, in a position wherein the transferableand open-able neck ring mold 1 is retained at the parison formingstation PFS (as shown in FIG. 1); and a pair of single action fluidmotors 266, 267, each of which is respectively mounted at an upper and alower end of the carcass 240, and each including a piston rod 268 (notshown) and 269 respectively having a two-tapered-face cam 270 (notshown) and 271 maintaining in contact said normally closed cam followers250, 251 (not shown) and 250′ and 251′, aligned regarding the centralunion line of the blank mold BM or the blow mold BLM, to be introducedbetween each pair of cam followers 250, 251 (not shown) and 250′ and251′, in order to uniformly and simultaneously open the neck ringholding arms 260, 261, and 260′, 261′, overcoming the pushing force ofthe springs 264, 265, and 264′, 265′, which, by the action of the singleaction fluid motors 266, 267, release the transferable and open-ableneck ring mold 1 or 2 at the intermediate station IRS (shown in FIG. 1),and, when the fluid is released from the single action fluid motors 266,267, the neck ring holding arms 260, 261, and 260′, 261′, are closed bythe action of the springs 264, 265 and 264′, 265′;

in this way, the first pair of neck ring holding arms 260, 261 grippinga first transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1 holding a parison P,is firstly rotated 180° clockwise (moving the parison upwardlyconstricting it) or counterclockwise (moving the parison downwardlystretching it), to place the parison P held by the first transferableand open-able neck ring mold 1 or 2 at the intermediate reheat stationIRS, releasing the transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1 byopening said neck ring holding arms 260, 261, and 260′, 261′ by means ofthe two-tapered-face cam 270, while the second pair of neck ring holdingarms 260′, 261′ with the second transferable and open-able neck ringmold 2 is simultaneously placed under the blank mold BM to form a secondparison P, and then, when the first pair of neck ring holding arms 260,261 receive back the empty transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1,it is able to be turned back to the parison forming station PFS byunidirectional rotating said first pair of neck ring holding arms 260,261 other 180°, completing a 360° turn, for another parison formingcycle; and a driving mechanism DM, illustrated in FIGS. 7A to 7C which,as previously mentioned, it is similar in configuration as the drivingmechanism for the transference apparatus BCTA, and for the take outapparatus BCTOA and will be described in the following.

Furthermore, to allow the feasibility to provide cooling for thetransferable and open-able neck ring molds 1 or 2, for single ormultiple cavities, the neck ring holding arms 260, 261 and 260′, 261′include internal cooling passages ICP and ICP′ (FIGS. 2A and 2D) havinga nozzle NZN and NZN′ to provide a courting of cooling fluid directed tothe external surrounding wall of the neck ring mold halves 3, 3′.

Driving Mechanism

The above referred driving mechanism DM (FIGS. 7B and 7C), which can beselected from an existing one, such as that patented and manufactured byWinsmith Inc., and which, in a preferred embodiment which includes somenovel features in accordance with the glassware forming machine of thepresent invention, as illustrated in FIG. 7C, allows to be standardizedfor the transference apparatus BCTA and for the take out apparatusBCTOA, and comprising: a carcass 280 including two lateral caps 281,281′, one at each side thereof; said lateral cap 281′ having a doublekeyway KW, KW′ (shown in FIG. 7A) opposed 180° one another, and asupport plate 282 having a keyway KWS which will be placed at a positiondepending on the mechanism in which this driving mechanism is mounted,said support plate 282 is mounted on the apparatus support frame ASF bymeans of a semi-annular clamp 283; a horizontal axis 284 supported bybearings 285 and 285′ to the lateral caps 281, 281′, and including aslow speed gear 286, having a power output coupling 287, which is to becoupled to the power shaft 242 for transmission of the output power ofthis driving mechanism DM; a sleeve 288 (FIG. 7A) coupled on the carcass280, including a high speed extension shaft 289 (FIG. 7A) into saidsleeve 288, having a worm gear 290 at its lower end, gearing with theslow speed gear 286, which is provided with an anti-backlash mechanism292 (patented and manufactured by Winsmith Inc), for reducing velocityand transmit power to said unidirectional rotary inverting apparatusUIA, or to said transference apparatus BCTA, or to said take outapparatus BCTOA; a flexible couple 293 at the lower end of the highspeed extension shaft 289 for retiring the servomotor 294 from the heatzone of the parison P; and a rotary servomotor 294 (FIG. 7A) forrotating the shaft 289, by means of the flexible couple 293, andsupported by a frame 295 at the lower end of the sleeve 288; and aflange 296 at an intermediate position of the sleeve 288, to avoidvibration of the whole structure.

In this way, the double keyway of the lateral cap 281′, allows thisdriving mechanism DM to be placed on a 180° opposed position to bemounted at the transference apparatus BCTA or the take out apparatusBCTOA without internally disassembling the driving mechanism DM.

Transference Apparatus

The preferred and specific embodiment of a transference apparatus BCTA,to transfer a parison P held by a transferable and open-able neck ringmold 1 or 2, describing a curvilinear translation path, from theunidirectional rotary inverting apparatus UIA at the blow mold“zero-line” OM at the intermediate station IRS to the blow formingstation BFS, in accordance with the present invention, is represented bya servo-controlled bi-directional curvilinear transference apparatusBCTA, generally illustrated in FIGS. 8A to 8F, comprising:

a support bench 300 mounted in turn on the apparatus support frame ASF,including a pair of semi-annular clamps 301, 301′ in an end 302 of thesupport bench 300, and a further semi-annular clamp 303, in a second end304 of the support bench 300, in order to hold both the bi-directionalcurvilinear transference apparatus BCTA and the driving mechanism DMwhich has a configuration similar to that of the unidirectional rotaryinverting apparatus UIA already described, for the actuation of saidbidirectional curvilinear transference apparatus BCTA;

an oscillatory hollow arm 305, comprised by two arm halves 306, 306′assembled opposed face to face, defining an internal chamber 307 (FIGS.8B, and 8C), and interconnected fluid passages FLP1, FLP2 (FIG. 8C), andhaving a first end 308 retained by a rotary seal carrier union RSCUwhich in turn is supported, by means of a bearing 309, by the supportbench 300 and clamped by the semi-annular clamp 301′, and having a powershaft 310 identical to the power shaft 242 of the unilateral rotaryinverting apparatus UIA, coupled to the arm halve 306′, to be coupled tothe power output coupling 287 of the driving mechanism DM for thistransference apparatus BCTA, defining the rotary axis for theoscillatory hollow arm 305, in order to be oscillated 180° for aservo-controlled path from the intermediate station IRS, to the blowforming station BFS, return to the intermediate station, and then it islifted at a position of about 90° awaiting for a next cycle, and a fixedaxis 311, supported and clamped by the semi-annular clamp 301 and by thepower shaft 310 by means of a bearing 309′, and including a fixed gear312; an idle gear 313, gearing the fixed gear 312, and which iscomprised by two gear halves 314, 314′ assembled opposed face to faceshifted from each other, by means of adjusting screws AS, to adjustbacklash, retained into the internal chamber 307 by means of bearings315, 315′ (FIG. 8D), defining an intermediate idle axis 316; and asecond end 317, including an axis 318 retained by a bearings 319, 319′,into said second end 317 of the oscillatory hollow arm 305 including asynchronizing gear 320, gearing with the idle gear 313, which is clampedto the axis 318; an inverted U-shaped oscillating support 321 (FIGS. 8Eand 8F), having two lateral walls 321 a and 321 b, each having a semiannular sliding recess RS, RS′ to be freely mounted at both ends of theaxis 318, and retained by means of corresponding semi-annular clamp 322,322′, so as to freely oscillate on the axis 318, the wall 321 b of saidU-shaped oscillating support 321 has an external mounting face 323including shaft housings 324, 324′ for the purpose explained in thefollowing, said U-shaped oscillating support 321, when the hollow arm305 rotates on the fixed axis 311, this U-shaped oscillating support 321is maintained at the same horizontal orientation during the wholerotation of the oscillatory hollow arm 305, describing a curvilineartranslation path due to the idle gear 313 and the synchronizing gear320; said semi annular clamp 322 having a transmission tong TT includingtwo opposite conical pilot guides PG, and cooperates with an upper semiannular clamp USC and a lower semi-annular clamp LSC both clamped on theaxis 311, said lower semi-annular clamp LSC having two spaced legs L1,L2 defining a space between them in which the transmission tong TT ofthe clamp 322, is placed and held by adjusting conical-ended screws ASH,ASH′ in sad space legs L1, L2 introduced into the conical pilot guidesPG of the transmission tong TT, in order to allow adjusting of thehorizontal position of said U-shaped oscillating support 321, firstly byloosing and then tighten the semi annular clamp 322′, to be parallel tothe upper surface of the blow mold BLM, by means of said adjustingscrews ASH, ASH′, and avoid lateral displacement thereof by means of theconical ends of the screws ASH, AS′ and the conical pilot guides PG;

a parison transference mechanism PTM (FIGS. 8A, 8B and 8E), comprising atwo-positions opening mechanism TFC coupled to the face 323 of theoscillating support 321, comprising a carcass 325, having a pair ofparallel mounting guides 326 and 326′, horizontally retained into thecarcass 325, having the same orientation as the axis 318, and by thehousings 324, 324′ of the oscillating support 321; a pair of carrierholders 327, 327′, slide mounted on the pair of mounting guides 326,326′; each of the carrier holders 327, 327′ include a cam follower 328,328′, retained near to the opposite internal faces thereof;

two pairs of springs 329, 329′, 330, 330′ each pair mounted around anend of each of the mounting guides 326, 326′, abutting against therotary carcass 325 and against an external face of each of the carrierholders 327, 327′ in order to keep said carrier holders 327, 327′normally closed by the pushing force of said springs 329, 329′ and 330,330′; and a pair of holding finger arms 331, 331′ coupled to the carrierholders 327, 327′, including a pair of gripping fingers 331 a and 331 b,which consequently are in a position normally closed;

a two-positions actuating fluid motor 332, mounted on the carcass 325,comprising: a cylinder 333, including an upper cap 334 having a guidinghole 335, a fluid passage 333′ and a lower cap 336 also having a guidinghole 337; a first limiter step 338 at the upper cap 334, and a secondlimiter step 339, in the lower cap 336; a first piston 340 into thecylinder 333 defining an upper chamber UC between the upper cap 334 andthe piston 340, and a lower chamber LC under the cylinder 333, andhaving a first upper piston rod 341 passing through the guiding hole 335of the upper cap 334, having adjusting nuts 342, 342′, for adjusting thestroke of the first piston 340; and a second hollow piston rod 343having a plurality of fluid transference passages PT in order tocommunicate the actuating fluid form the lower chamber LC to an upperchamber SUC over a second piston 345, placed into the hollow piston rod343; a second piston 345, placed into the hollow piston rod 343, havinga piston rod 346 including a connecting rod 347 having two-tapered-facecams 348, 348′.

In this way, when the first piston 340 is firstly actuated by feedingactuating fluid through a fluid passage 344 at the upper chamber UC ofthe cylinder 333, runs downwardly to a stroke limited by the adjustingnuts 342, 342′ abutting against the first limiter step 338, and pushesdownwardly the second piston 345 at a first stroke maintained by theforce of the springs 329, 330 and 329′ and 330′ and by the fluidpressure on the upper chamber UC to uniformly and simultaneously openthe holding finger arms 331, 331′ for holding and handling atransferable and open-able neck ring mold 1 or 2; then when fluid isadmitted through to the passage 333′ to the lower chamber LC, this inturn is communicated through the fluid transference passages PT to thesecond upper chamber SUC so that the second piston 345 reaches to itsfully extended stroke to uniformly and simultaneously open thetransferable and open-able neck ring mold 1 or 2 retained by the holdingfinger arms 331, 331′, releasing the parison P to vertically fall flatat a blow mold BLM; and finally when the fluid from the chamber SUC isreleased, the springs 329, 330 and 329′, 330′ return the piston 345holding the transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1 or 2 closed, byan annular tension spring 4 (shown in FIGS. 2A to 2E) to be turned bythis servo-controlled bi-directional curvilinear transference apparatusBCTA, back to the intermediate station, and lifting the empty grippingfingers 331 a and 331 b at a about 90°, position, waiting for afollowing cycle.

Blow Mold Apparatus.

The blow mold apparatus BLMA, may also be selected from an existing onein the commerce, however, to achieve the interchangeabilitycharacteristic both in the same section machine and as a machine sectionat the whole machine of multiple-sections, as well as to achieve a highspeed and smooth operation, and a high reliance on the closing and heatdissipation abilities, in the following it is described a preferredembodiment of the blow mold apparatus BLMA, in accordance with thepresent invention, for triple cavity, generally illustrated in FIGS. 9Ato 9F.

Furthermore, as this mechanism is similar as the blank mold apparatusBMA in all its component pieces, in the following, only the specificcharacteristics will be described, by referring to their specificreference symbols shown in the enclosed drawings, and comprising: a blowmold BLM, for forming a finished glassware article, once a finishedparison P has been feed thereto, and including: two similar blow moldhalves 350 a, 350 b assembled opposed face to face, each including amold wall BLW, BLW′, a plurality of axial passages APM, APM′ for coolingthe blow mold halves 350 a, 350 b, a forming mold cavity MC, MC′ and aholding flange 351 a, 351 b (FIG. 9B), to be mounted in a mold holdingmechanism MHM; and a “T” shaped sliding valve SV, in a similardisposition as the blank molding apparatus BMA, but, in this case, it ismounted on the machine support frame MSF, for providing cooling fluid tothe blow mold halves 350 a, 350 b by means of the ducts 358 and 358′(only one shown), from the floor cover FC of the machine support frameMSF during the whole path of the opening and closing operation of theblow mold BLM.

A. Mold Holding Mechanism.

In the same way as above, the mold holding mechanism MHM, illustrated inFIGS. 9A to 9F mounted on the machine section frame MSF, is entirelysimilar as the blank mold holding mechanism BMHM already described atFIGS. 3A to 3L above, having the same dimensions and geometry, exceptfor, in a triple cavity machine, in the first single blow mold holder356 a and 356 a′ it is respectively mounted a blow mold halve 350 a and350 b and in a dual blow mold holder 356 b and 356 b′ there arerespectively mounted two blow mold halves 350 a and 350 b, so that theblow mold halves 350 a and 350 b can be uniformly closed with a similarclosing force; as well as the cooling nozzles 357, 357′ placed at avariable height, for directing cooling fluid into axial passages APM,APM′ practiced at the wall of each of the blow mold halves 350 a, 350 bwhich is interchangeably in accordance with the dimensions of theglassware article to be produced.

Similarly the equalizing means of the blank mold holding mechanism BMHM,a second embodiment for the arrangement of these equalizing means, canbe providing a single blow mold holder, say 356 a, facing against a moldholder of a dual blow mold holder, say 356 b′, and vice-versa.

In the same way, a third more economic embodiment, these equalizingmeans can include a single blow mold holder 356 a and a dual blow moldholder 356 b, both facing against a trial blow mold holder (not shown),so that the effect that the blow mold halves 350 a, 350 b be uniformlyclosed with a similar closing force, is achieved by the single and dualblow mold holders 356 a, 356 b and vice-versa.

B. Mold Opening and Closing Mechanism.

The mold opening and closing mechanism MO&C, for opening and closing theblow mold halves 350 a, 350 b, shown in the same FIGS. 9A to 9F, mountedon the mold holding mechanism MHM, has entirely the same configurationas the blank mold opening and closing mechanism BO&C illustrated inFIGS. 3A to 3L already described above, and operates in the same way.

For safety purposes, a security pin lever SEPL is introduced through ahole at the connecting crank 45′ of the rotary operating shaft 30′ ofthe opening and closing mechanism MO&C, when the blow mold halves 350 aand 350 b are open, in order to lock said blow mold halves 350 a and 350b avoiding that they could be undesirably closed, when they are handledfor maintaining and tool change purposes.

C. Bottom Mold Plate Mechanism

The bottom mold plate mechanism, may also be selected from an existingone in the commerce, however, to similarly achieve theinterchangeability characteristic both in the same section machine andas a machine section at the whole machine of multiple-section, as wellas for providing the feasibility for using vacuum in order to reduce theblow time of the blow head, in the following it is described a preferredembodiment of the bottom mold plate mechanism BPM, in accordance withthe present invention, for a triple cavity machine, illustrated in FIGS.10A to 10E, and comprising: a mounting block 360, mounted on a floorcover FC (FIG. 1B) of the machine section frame MSF, including a firstvertical passage 361 (FIG. 10C) passing throughout the block 360, forproviding a vacuum pressure; a central passage 362 for the purpose belowdescribed; and a vertical cooling fluid passage 363 a 363 b at each sideof the passage 362, each of said passages 361, 363 a and 363 b includingsealing rings 364 c, 364 a and 364 b; and a housing 365 centered at thetop of the passage 362 for housing a mechanical jack 366; a mechanicaljack 366, placed into the housing 365, including a protection sleeve 367which is contained into the central passage 362, containing the jackactuating mechanism (not shown) and a lifting plate 368 for lifting andlowering the whole bottom mold plate mechanism BPM; a second up and downmovable block 369 supported by the lifting plate 368 of the jack 366, insuch a way as to adjust the height of the entire bottom mold platemechanism BPM at an article forming position, and including a connectingvacuum passage 370, in communication with the first vertical passage 361of the first block 360 for providing a vacuum at the blow mold in orderto help the blown of a glass article; two shortened connecting passages372 a, 372 b in communication with the vertical cooling passages 363 a,363 b, finishing at a plenum chamber 371; each of said passages 370 and372 a, and 372 b, having a telescopic pipe 373 c, 373 a and 373 b,screwed to the same, and introduced into the passages 361, 363 a and 363b, to avoid fluid leaks when the second up and down movable block 369 islifted by the mechanical jack 366; a spacing block 374 coupled on thesecond up and down movable block 369, in order to adjust the height of adistribution plate 377 and the bottom plate mold 383 a, 383 b and 383 cfor whatever family of articles, having a connecting vacuum passage 375,and a plenum chamber 376 communicated with the plenum chamber 371; adistribution plate 377 coupled on the spacing block 374, comprising apassage network 378 for communicating the vacuum to help the articleformation; a bottom mold-carrier plate 379 coupled on the distributionplate 377, having three central passages 380 a, 380 b, 380 c, (FIGS. 10Cto 10E) for providing the cooling fluid, each surrounded by a pluralityof orifices 381 a, 381 b, 381 c for applying vacuum, and three pads 382a, 382 b and 382 c, screwed to the bottom mold-carrier plate 379,centered in communication with the passages 380 a, 380 b and 380 c; andthree floating bottom molds 383 a, 383 b and 383 c, releasableauto-adjusted coupled on a corresponding pads 382 a, 382 b, 382 c, eachcoinciding with the center of the corresponding cavity of each blow moldBLM, so that when the blow molds BLM are closed around the floatingbottom molds 383 a, 383 b and 383 c, they are auto-aligned with thecenter of each cavity, forming the bottom of the glassware articles.

D. Blow Head Apparatus.

The blow head apparatus BLHA illustrated in FIGS. 11A and 11B for atriple cavity, comprising: a hollow blow head-carrier arm 390 supportedand operated by an oscillating mechanism OSM which is entirely similarto the oscillating mechanism OSM or the “rotolinear oscillatingmechanism” RLM of the guide-funnel apparatus GFA and the baffleapparatus BA, mounted on the apparatus support frame ASF, and includinga holder 391 for retaining a blow head holder 392 for holding anequalizing mechanism EM which is also similar as that of the baffleapparatus BA; and a blow head 393 having a mounting flange 394 to beretained by the equalizing mechanism EM, so that the oscillatingmechanism OSM will oscillate the hollow blow head-carrier arm 390 forplacing the blow head 393 over the blow mold BLM, provide a finishingblown to a parison feed thereto, in order to form a finishing glasswarearticle, and retire it once the finished glassware article has beenformed;

Bi-directional Curvilinear Take Out Apparatus.

The servo-controlled bi-directional curvilinear take out apparatusBCTOA, generally illustrated in FIGS. 12A to 12F, mounted on a supportframe TOSF (FIGS. 1A, 1B) which is mounted in turn in the machinesection frame MSF, to take out a finished article, describing acurvilinear translation path, from the blow forming station BFS, at theblow mold “zero-line” OM, to the dead plate or directly to the carrierconveyor, in accordance with the present invention, is represented andhave an entirely similar configuration as the servo-controlledbi-directional curvilinear transference apparatus BCTA, generallyillustrated in FIGS. 8A to 8F, including the driving mechanism DM andits aligning system, which are also entirely similar as that of saidbi-directional curvilinear transference apparatus BCTA, except for theparison transference mechanism PTM, and comprising instead: an articletransference mechanism ATM comprising a support arm 400, mounted on thesupport 321, and comprising a support plate 401 including a fluidconnection 402 for the operating fluid; a reciprocate fluid motor 403coupled to the support plate 401, to which the fluid connection 402 isalso coupled, and comprising an elongated piston rod 404 surrounded by aspring 405 retained by a double eyed female end rod 406 at the free endof the piston rod 404 (FIGS. 12C, 12D and 12F) for actuating the holdingarms 417 a, 417 b as it will be described in the following; and aholding frame 407 lodging the elongated piston rod 404 and spring 405; ascissor mechanism 408 to open and close the holding arms 417 a, 417 b,comprising a central support pin 409 supported by the holding frame 407,and a pair of yokes 410 a, 410 b, similar to the known scotch yokes,each having an intermediate portion 411 a, 411 b, coupled to the centralsupport pin 409, a first end 412 a, 412 b in the form of a yoke portion,embracing a free sliding block 414 a, 414 b, each retained by the pivotpin 415 a, 415 b, retained in turn by the double eyed female rod 406,and a second end 416 a, 416 b; and a pair of parallel holding arms 417a, 417 b, each having a positive stop member SPa, SPb and coupledperpendicularly to the second end 416 a, 416 b of the yokes 410 a, 410b, and including three gripping fingers 418 a, 418 b and 418 c and 418a′, 418 b′ and 418 c′; in this way, in an opened condition of theholding arms 417 a and 417 b including their gripping fingers 418 a, 418b, and 418 c and 418 a′, 418 b′, 418 c′ the piston rod 404 is extendedin its full stroke and the spring 405 remains uncompressed, then, whenactuating fluid is fed to the fluid motor 403, the piston rod isretracted upwardly compressing the spring 405, lifting the double eyedfemale end rod 406 and consequently closing the yokes 410 a, 410 b andthe holding arms 417 a, 417 b and its gripping fingers 418 a, 418 b, 418c, and 418 a′, 418 b′ and 418 c′ at a wide position limited by the stopmembers avoiding vibrations, to grip a finished article from an openedblow mold BM and transfer it at a dead plate (not shown) at about 180°or at different heights, to be finally cooled therein, or placeddirectly at a carrier conveyor, and taking it out of the formingmachine.

A particular characteristic of this servo-controlled bi-directionalcurvilinear take out apparatus BCTOA, is that, as the pair of parallelholding arms 417 a and 417 b are “gull-wing type” opened in cantilever,they can be placed in its take out position when the blow head apparatusBLHA is still in its blown position over the blow mold BLM and willbegin its closing stroke when the blow head apparatus BLHA begins itsoutput stroke and the blow mold is closed; or else, they will begin itsclosing stroke when the blow head apparatus BLHA begins its outputstroke and the blow mold begins its opening stroke.

Electronic Control

An specific and preferably embodiment of the programmable control forthis specific glassware forming machine, in accordance with, the presentinvention, is a programmable electronic control (not shown) toelectronically control the movements, cycle time and sequence of stepsof all of the mechanisms of the machine, as well as the tooling andelectric power, fluid and lubrication operation of all of the mechanismsof the machine, in accordance with the type of glassware articles to beproduced and the amounts of glassware articles and velocity ofproduction of the machine, which usually includes a plurality valves,preferably electronically controlled solenoid valves or servo-controlledvalves, controlling the operating and cooling fluids through the fluidfeeding system; an electronic processor including the programs forprogramming the whole range of performance of the machine, a performancemonitoring system and a control board to introduce the production dataof the machine.

It is to be finally understood that the blank molding apparatus BMAincluding the blank mold apparatus BMA, the blank mold holding mechanismBMHM, the blank mold opening and closing mechanism BO&C; as well as theguide-funnel apparatus GFA, including the oscillating mechanism OSM; thebaffle apparatus BA, including the equalizing mechanism EM; the blowmold apparatus BLMA, including the blow mold BLM, mold holding mechanismMHM, the mold opening and closing mechanism MO&C the bottom mold platemechanism BPM, and the blow head apparatus BLHA; and the bi-directionalcurvilinear take out apparatus BCTOA, including the article transferencemechanism ATM, and the electronic control, all of them can be similar tothe conventional ones, under the intelligence that they will be indetriment of the velocities, functionality, standardizing andadaptability to the new method which will be described below.

Referring now to the method for the production of hollow glasswarearticles, such as bottles, jars, tumblers and other glassware articles,by the blow-and-blow, press-and-blow or direct press processes, all ofthem in hot mold or paste mold, in the above described glassware formingmachine including multiple individual forming sections, this will befirstly described in its most general way including only the steps whichaffords the new concepts of the forming process, comprised by the newsteps and steps which can be selected from the known ones in the field,and then describing all the steps of the method in a full detailincluding their new characteristics and advantages, as illustrated inFIG. 1 of the drawings, which also affords the new concept of theforming process, and finally describing very specific steps whichadvantageously can be performed by the already described specificmethod.

Additionally, for the sake of simplicity of description, the machinewill be described referring to a single cavity, under the previsionthat, as illustrated in the shown drawings, the preferred embodiments ofthe machine and of the method is referred to a so named “multiple(triple) cavity” machine.

Considering the former clarifications, the method for the production ofhollow glassware articles, such as bottles, jars, tumblers and otherglassware articles, by the press-and-blow, both hot mold and paste mold,blow-and-blow process, and direct press, in its most general way,comprising, in combination:

forming a parison in an inverted orientation, at a parison formingstation PFS into a blank mold BM and into a transferable and open-ableneck ring mold 1 held by a pair of horizontal holding arms 260, 261 ofan inverting apparatus UIA;

inverting the parison held by the transferable and open-able neck ringmold 1, by rotating the pair of horizontal holding arms 260, 261 of theinverting apparatus UIA 180° clockwise, moving the parison upwardlyconstricting it, or counterclockwise, moving the parison downwardlystretching it, to an upright orientation at an intermediate station IRSto be held by a transference apparatus BCTA;

transferring the transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1 holding theparison in an upright orientation, from the intermediate station IRS, toa blow forming station BFS including a blow mold apparatus BLMA, bymeans of the transference apparatus BCTA;

releasing the parison from the transferable and open-able neck ring mold1, into the blow mold apparatus BLMA, but keeping the transferable andopen-able neck ring mold 1 held by said transference apparatus BCTA;

turn the transference apparatus BCTA holding the empty transferable andopen-able neck ring mold 1 back from the blow forming station BFS to thehorizontal arm 260 of the inverting apparatus UIA, at the intermediatestation IRS, to be held again by said horizontal holding arm 260 of theinverting apparatus UIA to be placed again at the parison formingstation PFS by rotating the pair of holding arms 260, 261 of theinverting apparatus UIA additional 180°, completing a 360° turn;

blowing the parison into the blow mold apparatus BLMA to form a finishedarticle; and

transferring the finished article in an upright orientation, by a takeout apparatus BCTOA, to place it at a dead plate or at a carryingconveyor.

In accordance with a most advanced embodiment of the method for theproduction of glassware articles, of the present invention, asillustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings, allowing an increase of velocityof production and a reduction in the forming cycle time, thiscomprising:

forming a parison at a parison forming station PFS in an invertedorientation, into a blank mold BM and a first transferable and open-ableneck ring mold 1 held by a first pair of horizontal arms 260, 261 of ainverting apparatus UIA having said first pair of horizontal arms 260,261 and a second diametrically opposed pair of horizontal arms 260′,261′ holding a second transferable and open-able neck ring mold 2;

inverting the parison held by the first transferable and open-able neckring mold 1, by rotating the first pair of horizontal holding arms 260,261, 180° clockwise, moving the parison upwardly constricting it, orcounterclockwise, moving the parison downwardly stretching it, to anupright orientation at an intermediate station IRS, while the secondpair of arms 260′, 261′ with the second transferable and open-able neckring mold 2 is simultaneously placed at the parison forming station PFS,to carry out another parison forming cycle;

transferring the first transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1holding the parison in an upright orientation, from the intermediatestation IRS, to a blow forming station BFS including a blow moldapparatus BLMA, by a transference apparatus BCTA;

releasing the first parison into the blow mold apparatus BLMA, and turnthe empty first transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1 back to thefirst horizontal arm 260 of the inverting apparatus UIA, at theintermediate station IRS to be placed again at the parison formingstation by rotating the first pair of arms 260, 261 additional 180°,completing a 360° turn, while the second pair of arms 260′, 261′ reacheto the intermediate station IRS holding a second parison held thereby;

blowing the parison into a blow mold BLMA to form a finished article;and

transferring the finished article in an upright orientation, once theblow mold is opened, by a take out apparatus BCTOA, to place it at adead plate or at a carrying conveyor.

Finally, the method for the production of glassware articles inaccordance with an specific embodiment of the present invention,including all of the advantages thereof, and as illustrated similarly inFIG. 1 and in combination with all of the Figures of the drawings,comprising:

placing a first transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1 held closedby a first pair of horizontal arms 260, 261 of an unidirectional rotaryinverting apparatus UIA, at a blank mold “zero-line” position OB whichis a constant position independent of the size of the blank mold BM of aparison and of a finished article, and closing blank mold halves 10, 10′of the blank mold BM embracing and aligning the first transferable andopen-able neck ring mold 1 at a said blank mold “zero-line” position OB;

lifting a pressing plunger 209 or 209′ by a pressing plunger apparatus160, at a glass gob charging and neck forming position aligned into thefirst transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1, at said blank mold“zero-line” position OB;

simultaneously oscillating and lowering a guide-funnel apparatus GFA toplace it on the closed blank mold BM;

feeding a molten glass gob, trough said guide-funnel apparatus GFA intothe blank mold BM and the first transferable and open-able neck ringmold 1, both placed at the blank mold “zero-line” position OB, at aparison forming station PFS, holding said first transferable andopen-able neck ring mold 1 by a first horizontal arm 260 of anunidirectional rotary inverting apparatus UIA including said firsthorizontal arm 260 initially holding the first transferable andopen-able neck ring mold 1 at said parison forming station and a secondhorizontal arm 261 diametrically opposed to the first arm 260, includinga second transferable and open-able neck ring mold 2, initially placedat the intermediate station IRS and then lifting and oscillating theguide-funnel apparatus GFA to an outer upper position once the moltenglass gob has fall into the blank mold BM;

forming a first parison in an inverted orientation, into the blank moldBM and first transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1 at said parisonforming station PFS, by simultaneously oscillating and lowering thebaffle apparatus BA placing its baffle head 103 over the cavity of ablank mold BM providing a settle blow for the glass gob at the blankmold BM filling the transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1, in theblow-and-blow process, or just closing the blank moild halves 10, 10′ ofthe blank mold BM in the press-and-blow process, and counter-blowing orpressing the glass gob into said blank mold BM and first transferableand open-able neck ring mold 1 at said blank mold “zero-line” positionOB, by means of a pressing plunger apparatus PPA, allowing exhausting oftrapped air over the glass gob, through a porous baffle head 103 of thebaffle apparatus BA;

retiring the pressing plunger apparatus PPA, simultaneously lifting thebaffle head and opening the blank mold BM allowing reheating of theparison to begin;

transferring the first formed parison held by the first transferable andopen-able neck ring mold 1 held in turn by the first horizontal arm 260of the unidirectional rotary inverting apparatus UIA, to an intermediatestation IRS at a blow mold “zero-line” position OM by rotating it in aservo-controlled curvilinear indexed and unidirectional path at 180°,rotating indexed and unidirectional at 180° clockwise (moving theparison upwardly constricting it) or counterclockwise (moving theparison downwardly stretching it), continuing the reheating andstretching of the parison during its transference and inversion at anupright orientation to the intermediate station IRS, additionallycontinuing the reheating and stretching of the parison therein, whilerotating 180° the empty second arm 261 with the second transferable andopen-able neck ring mold 2, to place it at the parison forming stationPFS for a new a parison forming cycle;

picking up the first transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1 holdingthe first parison, from the first horizontal arm 260 of theunidirectional rotary inverting apparatus UIA, at said intermediatestation IRS, by means of a transference apparatus BCTA, bysimultaneously releasing the transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1from the unidirectional rotary inverting apparatus UIA;

transferring the first transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1horizontally holding the first parison in an upright orientation, bymeans of said transference apparatus BCTA, rotating it at 180°, througha servo-controlled bi-directional curvilinear translation path,maintaining the parison in its upright orientation and continuing amajor reheating and stretching operation of the parison throughout thetranslation path, from the intermediate reheat station IRS, to an openblow mold BLM;

closing the blow mold BML around the parison held by the firsttransferable and open-able neck ring mold 1 held in turn by thetransference apparatus BCTA and around a bottom plate 383 a, 383 b and383 c and opening the first transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1,maintaining held said empty transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1by the transference apparatus BCTA, releasing the first parison into theclosed blow mold BLM to be held thereby at said blow forming station,continuing a short final reheating and stretching operation of theparison for temperature homogenization, and applying a vacuum throughthe bottom plate 383 a, 383 b and 383 c, for helping the blow operation,immediately turning back the empty first transferable and open-able neckring mold 1 closing it during the turning back path, to the intermediatestation IRS, and releasing it at the first arm 260 of the unidirectionalrotary inverting apparatus UIA to be held thereby;

lifting the empty transference apparatus BCTA at an intermediate 900position waiting for a new forming cycle, once it has turned back thefirst transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1, turning back thefirst horizontal arm 260 of the unidirectional rotary invertingapparatus UIA with the empty first transferable and open-able neck ringmold 1 to the parison forming station PFS by rotating it at additional180°, in a sense opposed to the second arm 261, completing a 360° turn,and the second arm 261 reaches to the intermediate station IRS for a newparison transferring cycle;

oscillating and lowering the blow head apparatus BLHA placing the blowhead 393 on the blow mold BLM;

blowing the parison into the blow mold BLM to form a finished article,by means of a blow head 393, continuing applying vacuum through thebottom mold plate 383 a, 383 b and 383 c so that, while the blow head393 is starting the final blown, the reheating and stretching of theparison is finished, and a take out apparatus BCTOA including an arm 400rotating at 180° around a horizontal axis, having gripping fingers 418418 a, 418 b, 418 c, 418 a′ 418 b′, 418 c′, reaches opened on the blowmold BLM maintaining the gripping fingers 418 b, 418 c, 418 a′ 418 b′,418 c′ opened and, after the final blown has been provided by the blowhead 393, turning back the blow head 393 to its upper position, and thevacuum has been interrupted, and lifted the blow head 393, the grippingfingers 418 b, 418 c, 418 a′ 418 b′, 418 c′ of the take out apparatusBCTOA are closed around the finished neck ring of a formed article whenthe blow mold BLM is still closed or it has been opened;

opening the blow mold BLM simultaneously picking up the finishedarticle, from the blow mold BLM by means of said take out apparatusBCTOA; and

transferring the finished article in an upright orientation, through acurvilinear and servo-controlled translation path, maintaining thefinished article in a vertical position, once the blow mold BLM isopened, by means of the take out apparatus BCTOA, to place it at a deadplate to cool the finished article and transfer it to a carrierconveyor, or else, placing the finished article directly to the carrierconveyor, and lifting the empty gripping fingers 418 b, 418 c, 418 a′418 b′, 418 c′ of the take out apparatus BCTOA at an intermediate liftedposition to begin a following blowing and take out cycle waiting for anext cycle.

The parison forming step is specifically carried out by: simultaneouslyoscillating and lowering the baffle apparatus BA placing its baffle head103 over the cavity of a blank mold BM; then for the blow-and-blowprocess, providing a vacuum through the pressing plunger 209′ andsimultaneously providing the settle blow through the baffle apparatus BAinto the blank mold BM, to settle the glass gob at the bottom of theblank mold BM, filling the transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1,and then retracting the pressing plunger 209′ and providing acounter-blow through the pressing plunger 209′, allowing the air trappedover the glass gob to be released through the porous baffle head 103 ofthe baffle apparatus BA, to form a finished parison, or else, for thepress-and-blow process, introducing the pressing plunger 209 through thetransferable and open-able neck ring 1 and blank mold BLM, allowing theair trapped over the glass gob to be released through the porous bafflehead 103 of baffle apparatus BA, forming the finished parison; and thenretiring the pressing plunger 209 and opening the blank mold BM, holdingthe formed parison by the transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1,allowing an initial reheating of the formed parison.

The gob pressing step is specifically carried out by maintainingconstant strokes at the pressing plunger apparatus at the blank mold“zero-line” position OB, and compensate variations in the glass gobweight and volume of the parison by forming a press cushion at thepressing plunger apparatus, to carry out the press-and-blow process orthe blow-and-blow process with the same mechanism, without changing oradjusting the pressing plunger apparatus.

The specific inverting transference of the finished parison held by thetransferable and open-able neck ring mold 1 and by the unidirectionalrotary inverting apparatus UIA, at the blank mold “zero-line” OB to theintermediate station IRS at the blow mold “zero-line” OM comprising:rotating 180°, clockwise (moving the parison upwardly constricting it)or counterclockwise (moving the parison downwardly stretching it), thefirst holding arm 260, 261 of the unidirectional rotary invertingapparatus UIA from the inverted orientation to an upright orientationallowing a continuing reheating and an initial stretching, to theintermediate reheat station IRS, through a rotary path, whilesimultaneously rotating 180° the second holding arm 260′, 261′ holdingthe second transferable and open-able neck ring mold 2, empty, of theunidirectional rotary inverting apparatus UIA, from the intermediatereheat station IRS at said blank mold “zero-line” position OM to aposition under the blank mold BM at the blank mold “zero-line” positionOB, at the same rotary path, while closing blank mold halves 10, 10′ ofthe blank mold BM embracing the second empty transferable and open-ableneck ring mold 2, placing the pressing plunger 209 at a neck formingposition, and then placing a glass gob guide-funnel apparatus GFA, overthe closed blank mold BM, and then feeding the glass gob into the blankmold BM and second transferable and open-able neck ring mold 2; and onthe other side, opening the first pair holding arm halves 260, 261 ofthe unidirectional rotary inverting apparatus UIA, releasing thetransferable and open-able neck ring mold 1 at said intermediate reheatposition IRS at said blow mold “zero-line” OM.

The specific servo-controlled bi-directional curvilinear transferencestep from the intermediate station IRS at the blow mold “zero-line” OMto the blow mold BLM comprising: picking up the first transferable andopen-able neck ring mold 1 at said intermediate station IRS, by openingthe gripping fingers 331 a, 331 b of the servo-controlled bi-directionalcurvilinear transference apparatus BCTA, in order to hold said firsttransferable and open-able neck ring mold 1 by its grooves G3, G3′, andimmediately opening the first pair of horizontal arms 260, 261 of theservo-controlled unidirectional rotary inverting apparatus UIA,releasing said first transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1; thentranslating, through a curvilinear path the transferable and open-ableneck ring mold 1 holding the parison, from the intermediate station IRS,to the blow mold BLM in an upright orientation; closing the blow moldhalves 350 a, 350 b of the blown mold BLM, around the bottom plate 383a, 383 b 383 c and the parison held by the transferable and open-ableneck ring mold 1; opening the neck ring mold halves by additionallyopening the gripping fingers 331 a, 331 b of the servo-controlledbi-directional curvilinear transference apparatus BCTA, to release theparison into the closed blow BLM, but still retaining the openedtransferable and open-able neck ring mold 1 which is afterwards closed;turning the bi-directional curvilinear transference apparatus BCTAholding the empty and closed transferable and open-able neck ring mold1, back to the first pair of arm halves 260, 261 of the unidirectionalrotary inverting apparatus UIA at the intermediate station IRS; placingthe empty transferable and open-able neck ring mold 1 still held by thegripping fingers 331 a, 331 b of bi-directional curvilinear transferenceapparatus BCTA, at a position between the opened pair of holding armhalves 260, 261 of the unidirectional rotary inverting apparatus UIAwhich are then closed retaining the transferable and open-able neck ringmold 1 by its grooves G1, G1′ and flanges F1, F1′; finally closing thegripping fingers 331 a, 331 b of the bi-directional curvilineartransference apparatus BCTA releasing the transferable and open-ableneck ring mold 1 remaining held by the first pair of arm halves 260, 261of the unidirectional rotary inverting apparatus UIA; and lifting thegriping fingers 331 a, 331 b of the bi-directional curvilineartransference apparatus BCTA at an upper intermediate position at about90° of its path.

The step of blowing the parison into the blow mold BLM to form afinished article, specifically comprising: placing a blow head 393 ofthe blow head apparatus BLHA on the blow mold BLM, in coincidence withthe cavity MC, MC′ thereof, and providing a finishing blow into thefinished reheated and elongated parison through the blow head 393,forming a finished glassware article into the blow mold BLM; beforefinishing of the blown, placing the take out fingers 417 a, 417 b of theservo-controlled bi-directional curvilinear take out apparatus BCTOAopened at a take out position; once the blow has finished and the blowhead 393 has started its lifting path, closing the take out fingers 417a, 417 b of the bi-directional curvilinear take out apparatus BCTOA,holding the neck of the finished glassware article, either when the blowmold BLM is still closed or else when holding the lower neck potion ofthe finished article when the blow mold BLM is opened.

And finally, the take out step of the finished glassware article isspecifically carried out by: servo-controlling and curvilineartransferring the finished glassware article held by the closed holdingarms 417 a, 417 b of the bi-directional curvilinear take out apparatusBCTOA, to the cooling dead plate, or directly to a carrier conveyor orat a annealing furnace, and opening the holding arms 417 a, 417 breleasing the finished glassware article therein, and lifting the openedholding arms 417 a, 417 b of the bi-directional curvilinear take outapparatus BCTOA to an upper intermediate position, for a new formingcycle.

1-208. (canceled)
 209. A driving mechanism for an indexed unidirectionalrotary inverting apparatus, a bi-directional curvilinear transferenceapparatus and a bi-directional curvilinear take-out apparatus, of aglassware forming machine, of single or multiple cavities, comprising: acarcass including a first lateral cap and a second lateral cap each ateach side of the carcass; said lateral cap having a double keywayopposed 180° one another, and a support plate having a keyway which willbe placed at a position depending on the mechanism in which the drivingmechanism is mounted, said support plate is mounted on an apparatussupport frame of the machine by means of a semi-annular clamp; ahorizontal axis supported by bearings to the lateral caps, and includinga slow speed gear having a power output coupling, which is to be coupledto the power shaft for transmission of the output power of the drivemechanism; a sleeve coupled on the carcass, including a high speedextension shaft into said sleeve, having a worm gear at its lower end,gearing with the slow speed gear, which is provided with ananti-backlash mechanism, for reducing velocity and transmit power tosaid unidirectional inverting apparatus, said -bi-directionalcurvilinear transference apparatus, and said curvilinear take outapparatus; a flexible couple at the lower end of the high speedextension shaft for retiring the servomotor from the heat zone of theparison; and a rotary servomotor for rotating the shaft, by means of theflexible couple, and supported by a frame at the lower end of thesleeve; and a flange at an intermediate position of the sleeve, to besupported on the apparatus support frame, avoiding vibration of thewhole structure, so that, the double keyway of the lateral cap, allowsthis driving mechanism to be placed on a 180° opposed position to bemounted at the indexed unidirectional rotary inverting apparatus, thebi-directional curvilinear transference apparatus and the bi-directionalcurvilinear take-out apparatus, without internally disassembling thedriving mechanism. 210-242. (canceled)